- 


\ 


*. 
J   A 


V 


^   V. 


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THIS  1842  ED.  WAS  ISSUED  IN  AT 
bEAST  TWO  FORMS.  THE  LIBRARY 
OE  CONGRESS  COPY  HAS  PORTRAIT  AND 
PLATES,  AS  HAS  THE  HARVARD  Ll- 

BRARY  COPY.  THERE  IS  NO  EVIDENCE 
OF  PLATES  HAVING  BEEN  TORN  OUT  OF  T 
THIS  COPY.  IN  , ADDITION  THE  HAR 
VARD  LIBRARY  COPY  HAS  BOSTON  ANB 
NEW  YORK  ADDRESSES  OF  THE  SUNDAY* 
SCHOOL  UNION  AS  WELL  AS  THE  PHILA 
DELPHIA  ONE. 

D.M  .  M  . 


THE   LIFE 


OF 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON. 


WBITTEN   FOR  THS  AMERICAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  UNION,   AND 
REVISED  BY  THE  COMMITTEE  OF  PUBLICATION. 


?)>/    $/vvy^^ 


AMERICAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  UNION. 


No.  316  CHESTNUT   STREET. 


t>E3/a. 

TL'3? 

ADVERTISEMENT.       \   *g 


The  historical  portion  of  this  volume  is  extracted 
from  the  best  authorities ;  but  it  has  been  deemed 
unnecessary  to  introduce  references. 


ENTERED  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1S42, 
by  HERMAN  COPE,  Treasurer,  in  trust  for  the  American  Sun 
day-school  Union,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court 
of  the  Easterrr  District  of  Pennsylvania. «'  I 


L.  JOHNSON,  STEREOTYPER, 
PHILADELPHIA. 


INTRODUCTION. 

IN  the  year  1486,  a  foot  traveller,  holding 
a  boy  by  the  hand,  stopped  at  the  gate  of  a 
convent  in  Spain,  to  ask  for  some  bread  and 
water  for  his  wearied  child.  While  he  was 
receiving  it  from  a  kind  Friar,  he  gave  him 
a  hjstory  of  himself,  and  told  him  for  what 
purpose  he  had  come  into  that  country.  At 
that  time,  the  inhabitants  of  Europe,  Asia, 
and  Africa,  did  not  know  that  there  was  pny 
other  land  than  those  continents,  and  some 
islands  not  very  distant  from  them. 

The  most  learned  men,  who  were  endea 
vouring  to  increase  their  knowledge  of  geo 
graphy,  thought  that  the  ocean  surrounded 
those  countries  like  a  great  belt,  and  Christo 
pher  Columbus,  the  stranger  who  stood  at 
the  convent  gate,  was  perhaps  the  first  per 
son  who  thought  that  belt  might  be  crossed 
to  the  land  on  the  opposite  side  ;  which  was 
supposed  to  be  the  eastern  part  of  Asia.  He 
was  born  about  the  year  1436,  and  was  the 
son  of  a  wool-comber,  who  lived  in  a  city  of 
ttaly,  called  Genoa,  and  who  was  too  poor  to 
give  him  much  education  ;  but  Columbus  was 
very  attentive  to  the  instructions  which  he  re 
ceived  in  the  few  years  that  he  went  to  school. 
When  he  was  a  child,  he  said  he  would  like 
to  be  a  sailor,  and  he  was  very  diligent  in 

f~\f\irw^*<f~Ti  r^> 

9SO  798 


4  INTRODUCTION. 

using  every  opportunity  to  gain  a  knowledge 
of  geography  and  navigation. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen,  he  went  to  sea.  A 
seafaring  life  was,  at  that  time,  a  very  dan-" 
gerous  and  toilsome  one  ;  and  the  years  of  his 
boyhood  were  passed  in  hardships,  which 
were  severe  but  useful  lessons  to  teach  him  to 
command  his  naturally  hasty  temper,  and  to 
endure  sufferings  without  shrinking  or  com 
plaining.  He  reflected  on  what  he  observed 
in  his  voyages,  and  on  what  he  had  learned 
of  geography,  and  felt  convinced,  that  if  a 
vessel  sailed  from  Europe  towards  the  west, 
it  might  reach  a  land  which  was  then  un 
known  ;  and  that  land  he  thought  it  was  pro 
bable  was  an  inhabited  one.  The  Bible  would 
nave  taught  him  that  a  time  will  come  when 
*  All  the  ends  of  the  earth  shall  see  the  salva 
tion  of  our  God,"  and  he  might  then  have  felt 
the  religious  hope  that  he  should  be  permitted 
to  carry  the  glad  tidings  to  the  unknown  land, 
the  discovery  of  which  he  began  to  speak  of 
with  as  much  certainty  as  if  he  had  seen  it. 
He  considered  his  almost  infant  desire  to  be 
come  a  sailor  as  a  proof  that  he  was  thus  early 
preparing  to  be  the  discoverer  of  that  land ;  and 
this  confidence  never  left  his  mind,  but  cheered 
him  in  his  darkest  hours  of  disappointment. 

He  thought  deeply  on  the  subject  for  many 
years,  and  at  length  resolved  to  undertake  a 
voyage  of  discovery,  which  the  more  he 
thought  of,  the  stronger  became  his  hope  that  it 


INTRODUCTION.  5 

would  be  successful.  He  was  too  poor  to  fit  out 
even  a  small  vessel,  and  he  could  not  persuade 
any  person  to  assist  him  in  what  was  consi 
dered  a  wild  and  useless  project.  He  formed 
the  bold  resolution  to  go  to  Portugal,  and  ask 
assistance  from  the  king,  who  at  first  seemed 
willing  to  grant  it ;  but  after  raising  his  hopes, 
disappointed  them,  and  Columbus  returned  to 
his  own  country,  and  made  an  application 
there  to  the  government  for  aid  ;  but  his  re 
quest  was  disregarded.  Poor  as  to  earthly 
treasures,  but  trusting  to  the  divine  promise, 
"  Commit  thy  works  unto  the  Lord,  and  thy 
thoughts  shall  be  established,"  he  persevered 
in  his  intention,  and  was  on  his  way  to  seek 
assistance  from  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  the 
king  and  queen  of  Spain,  when  he  stopped  at 
the  convent  gate  to  ask  for  refreshment  for 
his  child,  whom  he  was  taking  with  him. 

The  kind  man,  to  whom  he  related  his 
plan,  became  interested  for  his  success,  and 
offered  to  keep  his  son,  Diego,  and  educate 
him  ;  and  said  he  would  give  him  a  letter  to  a 
friend,  "who  he  thought  could  assist  him  to 
gain  the  favour  of  the  queen.  Columbus  left 
his  son  with  him,  and  travelled  to  the  city 
where  the  king  and  queen  resided.  They 
would  not  even  listen  to  his  proposal  to  dis 
cover  a  new  country  for  them,  but  he  deter 
mined  to  remain  there  for  some  time,  and  he 
supported  himself  by  designing  maps.  Ht 
was  very  pleasing  in  his  appearance,  and  be 
A  2 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

ing  master  of  his  hasty  temper,  his  manners 
were  agreeable.  In  a  short  time,  he  gained 
the  good  will  of  some  persons  who  interested 
themselves  for  him,  and  introduced  him  to 
the  Archbishop  of  Spain,  to  relate  to  him  the 
favourite  subject  of  his  thoughts.  The  Arch 
bishop  obtained  permission  for  him  to  appear 
before  the  king  and  queen,  and  the  favourable 
manner  in  which  they  listened  to  him.  gave 
him  lively  hopes  that  they  would  grant  to 
him  the  assistance  which  he  desired.  They 
appointed  persons  to  examine  his  plan  for  a 
voyage  of  discovery,  who  kept  him  for  a  long 
time  uncertain  as  to  what  opinion  they  would 
give,  and  then  said  that  they  disapproved  of 
it  entirely. 

Discouraged,  but  not  despairing,  Columbus 
resolved  to  leave  Spain,  and  seek  assistance 
elsewhere,  and  was  on  his  journey  when  he 
received  a  letter  from  a  friend,  desiring  him 
to  return  immediately.  That  friend  had  suc 
ceeded  in  gaining  permission  to  speak  to  the 
queen,  and  he  had  interested  her  so  much  by 
an  eloquent  account  of  the  views  of  Colum 
bus,  that  she  said,  "  I  undertake  the  enter 
prise,  and  pledge  my  jewels  to  raise  the 
necessary  funds."  These  were  joyful  words 
to  the  ear  of  Columbus  ;  and  they  were  not 
vain  words  ;  for  an  order,  signed  by  the  king 
and  queen,  was  given  to  him  to  enable  him  to 
fit  out  three  caravals,  or  small  vessels,  for  his 
voyage.  They  were  to  be  prepared  at  the 


INTRODUCTION.  7 

town  of  Palos,  and  such  frightful  tales  were 
there  told  about  the  dangers  of  the  unknown 
deep,  that  even  old  seamen  spoke  of  the  in 
tended  voyage  with  dread;  and  Columbus 
had  great  difficulty  to  obtain  crews  for  his 
little  vessels. 

On  Friday,  the  third  day  of  August,  in  the 
year  1492,  he  sailed  from  Palos,  and  the 
friends  of  the  sailors  who  accompanied  him 
took  leave  of  them  with  lamentations,  and 
abuse  of  Columbus ;  for  they  felt  certain  his 
little  fleet  would  never  return.  It  was  borne 
across  the  waves  for  several  weeks,  and  no 
tokens  of  land  appeared.  The  sailors  became 
very  anxious  and  discontented.  One  even 
ing,  a  long  dusky  strip,  like  land,  excited 
glad  expectations,  but  the  dawn  of  the  next 
day  showed  that  it  was  only  a  gray  cloud 
along  the  horizon.  They  were  several  times 
disappointed  in  the  same  manner,  and  at 
length  became  desponding,  and  reproached 
Columbus  with  anger,  and  insisted  that  he 
should  turn  back  towards  Spain.  He  tried 
to  soothe  them,  and  encourage  them  to  go  on  ; 
but  finding  that  their  desire  to  give  up  the 
voyage  increased,  he  told  them  resolutely, 
"  Happen  what  will,  I  am  determined  to 
persevere,  until,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  I 
shall  accomplish  the  enterprise."  When  he 
had  made  this  declaration,  his  sailors  became 
desperate,  and  resolved  to  force  him  to  com 
ply  with  their  wishes.  "While  they  weie 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

planning  how  they  should  do  so,  on  the  lltn 
October,  being  sixty-nine  days  since  their 
sailing,  some  fresh  grass,  such  as  grows  in 
rivers,  floated  by  the  ships,  and  one  of  the 
^sailors  drew  up  a  carved  staff,  and  a  thorn 
branch  with  berries  on  it,  which  the  waves 
lashed  against  the  side  of  the  vessel. 

As  the  olive  leaf,  which  God  sent  to  Noah 
y  the  dove,  cheered  him  in  his  ark  with  the 
hope  that  he  should  soon  behold  "  the  dry 
land,"  so,  the  carved  staff  and  thorn-stem 
gave  Columbus  the  expectation  that  he  was 
drawing  near  to  the  land  which  was  the  ob 
ject  of  his  perilous  voyage.  To  the  sailors 
they  were  peace  branches  ;  for  the  hopes  they 
raised  that  an  inhabited  country  was  not  far 
distant,  quieted  their  angry  feelings,  and  each 
one  became  engaged  in  watching  for  land, 
that  he  might  give  the  first  signal  of  discovery  ; 
for  which  a  reward  had  been  promised.  The 
little  fleet  was  moved  rapidly  on  by  a  fresh 
breeze,  which  blew  all  day. 

It  was  the  custom  of  Columbus  to  close 
each  day  with  an  evening  hymn,  for  he  was 
a  devout  man  ;  and  on  the  evening  of  that  joy 
ous  day,  on  which  the  staff  and  thorn  stem 
were  seen,  he  spoke  with  great  feeling  to  his 
sailors,  and  endeavoured  to  lead  them  to  be 
grateful  to  the  mighty  Ruler  of  the  waves, 
for  his  protection  and  goodness  in  guiding 
them  safely  to  that  hour  of  cheering  hope. 
He  then  seated  himself  at  the  end  of  his  ves- 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

sel,  and  as  it  was  borne  along  swiftly  by  the 
breeze,  his  eyes  were  fixed  in  watchfulness 
on  the  dusky  horizon,  until  it  was  hid  by  the 
darkness  of  night.  His  anxiety  prevented  all 
disposition  to  sleep,  and  as  he  sat,  with  the 
silence  of  midnight  around  him,  suddenly  a 
light  appeared,  which  seemed  like  a  torch  in 
the  hand  of  a  person,  raising  and  lowering  it 
as  he  walked.  Long,  very  long,  no  doubt, 
appeared  the  hours  from  that  moment  until 
the  dawning  of  the  day.  At  length  that  dawn 
came.  It  was  the  12th  of  October,  in  the 
year  1492,  and  the  little  vessel  of  Columbus  be 
came  to  him  what  "  the  mountain  of  Nebo," 
was  to  the  leader  of  Israel ;  for  as  Moses  had 
been  led  through  the  dangers  of  the  wilder 
ness,  to  that  mount  from  which  he  saw  "  the 
promised  land,"  so  Columbus  had  been 
guided  by  the  same  mighty  hand  over  the 
desert  of  the  ocean,  to  a  spot  from  which  his 
joyful  eyes  beheld  the  unknown  land,  on 
which  his  thoughts  and  hopes  had  been  for 
many  years  engaged.  It  was  a  beautiful  level 
island,  covered  with  trees  like  an  orchard,  and 
the  inhabitants  were  soon  seen  running  to 
wards  the  shore,  to  gaze  at  the  wonderful 
sight  which  was  presented  by  the  little  fleet 
of  Columbus.  He  entered  his  small  boat,  and 
was  rowed  to  the  rural  spot ;  he  sprung  on  it 
with  joy,  and  kneeled  down  to  offer  thanks 
giving  to  God  with  tears  of  gratitude.  As  he 
approached,  the  wild  natives  fled ;  but  one  of 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

them,  more  courageous  than  the  rest,  ventured 
to  return  ;  and  others,  seeing  that  he  was  not 
harmed,  soon  joined  him.  .^They  expressed 
their  astonishment  by  making  signs  that  they 
thought  Columbus  and  his  companions  had 
come  from  the  sky,  and  that  the  sails  of  the 
vessels  were  the  wings  on  which  they  had 
flown  down.  He  remained  all  the  day  amidst 
the  refreshing  groves,  noticing  the  artless  na 
tives,  and  giving  to  them  glass  beads,  and  other 
trifles,  which  they  received  with  wonder  and 
gladness,  and  brought  in  return  cakes,  formed 
from  the  roots  of  a  plant  which  they  culti 
vated  in  their  fields.  They  had  ornaments 
of  gold  around  their  necks,  and  made  Colum 
bus  understand  that  they  got  them  from  a 
country  to  the  south  of  their  island.  As  he 
thought  that  the  island  was  near  India,  he 
called  the  natives  Indians ;  and  that  name  has 
been  continued  to  all  the  original  inhabitants 
of  the  new  world.  He  gave  the  name  of 
San  Salvador  to  the  island  ;  it  is  one  of  the 
cluster  which  is  now  called  the  Bahamas. 

When  he  had  spent  two  days  in  examining 
the  island,  he  determined  to  sail  again  and 
visit  others,  which  he  understood  from  tht> 
natives,  were  not  distant.  He  continued  sail 
ing  in  different  directions,  and  discovered  the 
islands  of  Cuba  and  Hispaniola  ;  he  then  re 
turned  to  Spain,  and  entered  the  port  of  Palos, 
March  15,  1493,  after  an  absence  of  7  months 
and  12  days.  When  the  inhabitants  heard  of 


INTRODUCTION  1 1 

% 

his  arrival,  there  was  a  great  tumult ;  and 
when  they  knew  he  had  discovered  "  the  un 
known  land,"  and  that  some  of  the  natives 
had  willingly  returned  with  him,  they  were 
rsady  to  receive  him  with  such  honours  as 
they  would  have  paid  to  the  king.  What  a 
contrast  to  the  time  of  his  departure,  when 
every  tongue  was  uttering  lamentations  or 
abuse  ! 

When  the  king  and  queen  heard  of  his  re 
turn  and  success,  they  ordered  great  prepara 
tions  to  be  made  for  welcoming  him,  and  he 
was  every  where  surrounded  by  a  wondering 
and  admiring  multitude.  Who  would  have 
thought  that  he  was  the  same  Columbus,  who 
but  a  few  years  before,  had  stood  at  the  con 
vent  gate,  begging  bread  and  water  for  his 
child  !  In  the  course  of  the  next  twelve  years 
he  made  four  very  important  voyages,  and  in 
honour  of  him,  all  the  newly  found  world 
should  have  been  called  Columbia.  He  was 
deprived  of  this  distinction,  by  a  rich  mer 
chant  of  Italy,  Amerigo  Vespucio,  who  sailed 
with  a  large  fleet,  in  1501,  and  aided  by  the 
publications  and  maps  of  Columbus,  reached 
a  more  southern  part  of  the  continent  than  the 
great  discoverer,  and  gave  so  interesting  an 
account  of  his  voyage,  and  of  the  country  he 
had  seen,  that  his  name  was  given  to  it,  as  if 
the  discovery  were  his.  But  the  people  have 
given  the  names  Columbia  and  Columbus  to 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

» 

several  places  in  America,  especially  in  the 
United  States,  where  there  is  a  district  called 
Columbia,  in  which  is  the  city  of  Washington, 
the  seat  of  government.  Thus  the  names  of 
the  two  great  men  are  connected,  to  whose 
genius  and  virtue  our  country  owes  so  much. 

While  he  was  engaged  in  making  discove 
ries,  Columbus  endured  various  trials  of  mind, 
and  toils  of  body  ;  and  after  all  his  faithful  ser 
vices,  the  king  of  Spain  refused  even  to  fur 
nish  him  the  means  of  paying  his  seamen,  for 
whom  he  pleaded  earnestly,  although  many 
of  them  had  acted  as  his  enemies.  The 
amiable  queen,  Isabella,  was  an  unchanged 
friend  ;  but  she  died,  and  then  it  was  vain  for 
Columbus  to  ask  for  justice.  He  wrote  to  a 
friend,  that  he  had  done  all  in  his  power,  and 
that  he  left  the  result  to  God,  who  had  never 
forsaken  him  in  his  time  of  need.  In  his 
seventieth  year,  he  felt  that  all  his  cares 
would  soon  cease,  and  he  settled  his  earthly 
affairs  and  prepared  for  death.  He  charged 
his  children  to  be  active  in  spreading  abroad 
the  Christian  religion ;  and  on  the  20th  of  May 
1506.  he  uttered  his  last  words,  which  were, 
"  Into  thy  hands,  O  Lord,  I  commend  my 
spirit." 

The  accounts  which  had  been  published 
by  Columbus,  caused  many  nations  to  desire 
to  have  possession  of  some  portions  of  the 
new  world.  French,  Dutch,  and  English 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

navigators  made  voyages  of  discovery,  and 
claimed  those  parts  on  which  they  landed  ; 
and  their  governments  made  settlements  on 
them.  In  the  year  1496,  John  Cabot  had  the 
command  of  a  small  English  fleet,  with  which 
he  sailed  to  the  west,  and  discovered  a  large 
island,  which  his  sailors  called  Newfound 
land.  He  then  sailed  along  the  coast  of  North 
America,  for  some  distance,  but  did  not  land. 
Several  attempts  were  afterwards  made  by  the 
English  to  form  settlements  in  it,  but  they 
were  not  successful  until  April,  1607,  when 
one  hundred  and  five  of  them  landed  in  Vir 
ginia,  and  built  a  town,  which  they  called 
Jamestown,  in  honour  of  their  king. 

One  of  the  most  active  of  those  settlers 
was  Captain  Smith,  who  gained  the  good  will 
of  all  the  natives  near  the  settlement ;  but  being 
one  day  at  some  distance  from  it,  he  was 
seized  by  a  party  of  strange  Indians,  and  taken 
to  their  king,  Powhatan.  It  was  determined 
that  the  prisoner  should  be  put  to  death  by 
having  his  head  beat  with  clubs.  He  was 
laid  on  a  large  stone,  and  the  death  clubs  were 
raised,  when  Pocahontas,  the  daughter  of  the 
king,  threw  herself  beside  him,  and  folding 
her  arms  around  him,  laid  her  head  on  his,  and 
entreated  that  his  life  might  be  spared.  She 
was  only  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  was  the 
darling  of  her  father,  who  consented  to  her 
request,  and  Captain  Smith  was  permitted  to 
B 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

return  to  Jamestown.  Some  time  after,  she 
was  married,  with  the  consent  of  her  father,  to 
a  young  Englishman,  named  Rolfe,  and  this 
secured  Powhatan  as  a  faithful  and  powerful 
friend  to  the  settlers.  Pocahontas  professed 
belief  in  the  Christian  religion,  and  was  "bap 
tized  by  the  name  of  Rebecca. 

In  1620,  the  second  English  settlement  in 
North  America  was  made.  A  number  of  fami 
lies,  who  were  not  at  liberty  to  worship  God 
as  they  thought  right,  went  over  to  Holland. 
They  were  kindly  received,  and  had  remained 
there  for  ten  years,  supporting  themselves  by 
their  industry,  when  they  resolved,  after  fre 
quent  and  serious  prayer,  to  cross  the  Atlantic, 
and  seek  a  residence  in  America ;  the  evil  ex- 
'amples  and  corrupt  manners  that  prevailed 
being  such  as  they  feared  might  lead  their  off 
spring  astray.  One  hundred  and  one  arrived, 
like  pilgrims,  in  the  beginning  of  winter, 
(Nov.  11,  1020,)  in  a  strange  country,  where 
there  was  no  friend  to  welcome  them,  nor  shelter 
for  them  to  enter.  They  purchased  land  from 
the  Indians  in  Massachusetts,  and  began  to 
clear  a  spot  for  a  town,  which  they  called 
New  Plymouth.  They  endured,  with  resolute 
cheerfulness,  the  toils  and  dangers  of  forming 
homes  in  a  wilderness,  because  they  believed 
that  God  would  anot  leave  them,  nor  forsake 
them/'  They  desired  to  "  worship  him  in 
spirit  and  in  truth/'  and  trusted  in  his  pro- 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

mise  that  "•  all  things  should  work  together 
for  their  good. 

Other  settlements  were  gradually  made  in 
different  parts  of  the  country.  Maryland  was 
colonized  in  1633,  under  Lord  Baltimore. 
The  settlers  of  Connecticut  received  a  charter 
in  166*2,  from  King  Charles  II.  permitting  the 
people  to  make  their  own  laws,  and  in  1663 
similar  rights  were  given  to  Rhode-Island, 
both  of  which  provinces  were  settled  by  inde 
pendent  colonies,  chiefly  from  Massachusetts. 
The  country  now  forming  the  states  of  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  and  Georgia  were 
granted  to  Lord  Clarendon  and  others,  in  1663. 
New  York  and  New  Jersey,  which  had  been 
previously  occupied  by  the  Dutch,  were  granted 
by  King  Charles  to  his  brother,  the  Duke  of 
York,  and  were  easily  subdued  by  the  Eng 
lish.  In  October,  1682,  William  Penn,  from 
whom  Pennsylvania  was  named,  brought  from 
England  a  number  of  families,  who  had  been 
persecuted  on  account  of  their  religious  opin 
ions.  He  purchased  land  for  them  from  the 
Indians,  who  kindly  taught  them  how  to 
make  sodded  huts,  on  the  spot  where  Phila 
delphia  now  stands.  Each  settlement  was 
called  a  Province,  and  the  inhabitants  made 
regulations  for  their  own  government,  but 
acknowledged  themselves  to  be  subjects  of 
the  king  of  England.  Those  who  had  fled 
from  their  native  land,  that  they  might  wo)- 


1  INTRODUCTION. 

ship  God  with  freedom,  believed  that  they 
should  have  fulfilled  to  them  His  promise 
which  they  found  in  the  Scriptures — "  Though 
I  have  scattered  them,  yet  I  will  be  unto 
them  as  a  little  sanctuary  in  the  countries 
where  they  shall  come." 


THE 


LIFE  OF  WASHINGTON. 


CHAPTER   I. 

1732—1762. 

To  give  us  the  delightful  assurance,  that 
we  are  always  under  the  watchful  care  of  our 
almighty  and  kind  Creator,  He  has  told  us 
that  He  notices  the  movements  of  every  little 
sparrow  :  and  as  we  are  "  of  more  value  than 
many  sparrows,"  He  will  surely  ever  care  for 
us.  It  was  His  powerful  and  kind  cai%  that 
protected  and  guided  Columbus,  the  once  poor 
sailor  boy,  to  obtain  the  favour  of  a  great  king 
and  queen  ;  and  then  to  pass  over  the  waves 
of  a  dangerous  ocean,  in  a  little  vessel,  and 
reach  in  safety  an  unknown  land.  The  same 
powerful  and  kind  care  which  protected  and 
guided  houseless  strangers  to  a  land  of  free 
dom  and  peace,  gave  Washington  to  their 
children,  to  lead  them  on  to  take  a  place 
amongst  the  nations  of  the  earth.  His  history 
is  as  a  shining  light  upon  the  path  of  virtue  ; 
for  he  "  acknowledged  God  in  all  his  ways." 

GEORGE  WASHINGTON  was  the  third  son  of 
Augustine  Washington,  whose  grandfather 
B2  17 


18  LIFE    OF 

left  England,  his  native  country,  in  1657,  and 
settled  at  Bridges  Creek,  in  Virginia,  where, 
on  the  22d  of  February,  in  the  year  1732,  his 
great-grandson,  George,  was  born.* 

One  of  the  first  lessons  which  young  Wash 
ington  received  from  his  faithful  parents,  was, 
the  importance  of  always  speaking  the  truth  ; 
and  they  enjoyed. a  satisfactory  reward  for 
their  attention  to  this  duty ;  for  through  his 
childhood,  "  the  law  of  truth  was  in  his 
mouth,"  so  that  he  was  not  known  in  one  in 
stance  to  tell  a  falsehood,  either  to  obtain  a 
desired  indulgence,  or  to  'escape  a  deserved 
punishment  or  reproof.  His  character,  as  a 
lover  of  truth,  was  so  well  known  at  the  "school 
which  he  attended,  that  the  children  were 
certain  of  being  believed,  when  they  related 
any  thing,  if  they  could  say,  "  George  Wash- 
ingtcffi  says  it  was  so." 

An  anecdote  is  related  of  him  to  illustrate 
this  trait  in  his  character,  which  we  introduce 
without  being  able  to  ascertain  on  what  au 
thority  it  is  related.  We  hope  it  will  not  be 
supposed,  however,  that  we  regard  such  an 
incident  as  an  extraordinary  proof  of  ingenu 
ousness  on  the  part  of  young  Washington. 
We  trust  there  are  very  few  boys  who  would 
think  of  adopting  any  other  course  under  like 

*  The  birth-day  of  Washington  was  the  eleventh  Feb 
ruary,  1732,  according  to  the  dates  used  at  that  time , 
but,  as  in  the  year  1752,  the  English  dates  were  altered 
to  conform  with  those  of  the  rest  of  Europe,  the  day  is 
that  which  is  here  given,  twenty-second  February,  1732. 


WASHINGTON.  19 

circumstances,  and  those  who  do  generally 
find  that  "  honesty  is  the  best  policy,"  to  say 
nothing  of  a  quiet  conscience  and  the  law  of 
God. 

The  story  is,  that  he  was  playing  with  a 
hatchet,  and  heedlessly  struck  a  favourite 
fruit-tree  in  his  father's  garden.  Upon  seeing 
the  tree  thus  mutilated,  an  inquiry  was  natu 
rally  made  for  the  author  of  the  mischief, 
when  George  frankly  confessed  the  deed,  and 
received  his  father's  forgiveness. 

In  all  the  little  disputes  of  the  school-fel 
lows,  he  was  called  on  to  say  which  party 
was  right,  and  his  decisions  were  always  sa 
tisfactory. 

It  is,  perhaps,  not  out  of  place  to  remark  in 
this  connexion,  that  much  of  the  injustice  arid 
oppression  which  are  seen  hi  the  intercourse 
of  men  with  each  other,  shows  only  the  matu 
rity  of  habits  which  were  formed  in  childhood. 
At  home,  or  in  school,  or  on  the  play-ground, 
instances  of  unfairness  and  fraud  are  often 
seen,  which,  among  men,  would  be  regarded 
as  gross  violations  of  law  and  right.  Wash 
ington  in  his  boyhood  was  JUST. 

When  he  was  ten  years  old,  his  worthy 
father  died,  and  he  became  the  care  of  an 
anxious  mother,  whose  fortune  was  not  suffi 
cient  to  enable  her  to  give  him  more  than  a 
plain  English  education.  He  was  very  fond 
of  studying  mathematics,  and  applied  his  mind 


20  LIFE    OF 

diligently,  in  improving  all  the  instruction 
which  he  could  get  in  that  science.  As  he 
grew  up  to  manhood,  he  was  remarkable  for 
the  strength  and  activity  of  his  frame.  In 
running,  leaping,  and  managing  a  horse,  he 
was  unequalled  by  his  companions  ;  and  he 
could  with  ease  climb  the  heights  of  his  na 
tive  mountains,  to  look  down  alone  from  some 
wild  crag  upon  his  followers,  who  were  pant 
ing  from  the  toils  of  the  rugged  way.  By 
these  healthful  exercises  the  vigour  of  his 
constitution  was  increased,  and  he  gained  that 
hardiness  so  important  to  him  in  the  employ 
ments  designed  for  him  by  his  Creator. 

Mrs.  Washington  was  an  affectionate  pa 
rent  ;  but  she  did  not  encourage  in  herself 
that  imprudent  tenderness,  which  so  often 
causes  a  mother  to  foster  the  passions  of  her 
children  by  foolish  indulgences,  and  which 
seldom  fails  to  destroy  the  respect  which 
every  child  should  feel  for  a  parent.  George 
was  early  made  to  understand  that  he  must 
obey  his  mother,  and  therefore  he  respected 
as  well  as  loved  her.  Sne  was  kind  to  his 
young  companions,  but  they  thought  her  stern, 
because  they  always  felt  that  they  must  be 
have  correctly  in  her  presence.  The  character 
of  the  mother,  as  weil  as  that  of  the  son,  are 
shown  in  the  following  incident.  Mrs.  Wash 
ington  owned  a  remarkably  fine  colt,  which 
she  valued  very  much ;  but  which,  though 
old  enough  for  use,  had  never  been  mounted ; 


WASHINGTON.  21 

no  one  would  venture  to  ride  it,  or  attempt  to 
break  its  wikl  and  vicious  spirit.  George 
proposed  to  some  of  his  young  companions, 
that  they  should  assist  him  to  secure  the  colt 
until  he  could  mount  it,  as  he  had  determined 
that  he  would  try  to  tame  it.  Soon  after  sun 
rise,  one  morning,  they  drove  the  wild  anima 
into  an  enclosure,  and  with  great  difficulty 
succeeded  in  placing  a  bridle  on  it.  George 
then  sprang  upon  its  back,  and  the  vexed  colt 
bounded  over  the  open  fields,  prancing  and 
plunging  to  get  rid  of  his  burden.  The  bold 
rider  kept  his  seat  firmly,  and  the  struggle 
between  them  became  alarming  to  his  com 
panions,  who  were  watching  him.  The  speed 
of  the  colt  increased,  until  at  length,  in  making 
a  furious  effort  to  throw  his  conqueror,  he 
burst  a  large  blood-vessel,  and  instantly  died. 
George  was  unhurt,  but  was  much  troubled 
by  the  unexpected  result  of  his  exploit.  His 
companions  soon  joined  him,  and  when  they 
saw  the  beautiful  colt  lifeless,  the  first  words 
they  spoke  were,  "  What  will  your  mother 
say — who  can  tell  her?"  They  were  called 
to  breakfast,  and  soon  after  they  were  seated 
at  the  table,  Mrs.  Washington  said,  "  Well, 
young  gentlemen,  have  you  seen  my  fine  sor 
rel  colt  in  your  rambles  ?"  No  answer  was 
given,  and  the  question  was  repeated;  her  son 
George  then  replied — "  Your  sorrel  colt  is 
dead,  mother."  He  gave  her  an  exact  account 
of  the  event.  The  flush  of  displeasure  which 


22  LIFE    OF 

first  rose  on  her  cheek,  soon  passed  av/ay ; 
and  she  said  calmly,  "  While  I  regret  the  loss 
of  ray  favourite,  /  rejoice  in  my  son,  who  al 
ways  speaks  the  tntth." 

In  his  fifteenth  year,  he  had  so  strong  a 
desire  to  be  actively  employed,  that  he  ap 
plied  for  a  place  as  a  midshipman  in  the 
English  navy,  (for  our  country  was  then  un 
der  the  government  of  Great  Britain,)  and 
succeeded  in  obtaining  it.  Full  of  youthful 
expectations  of  enjoyment  in  a  new  scene,  he 
prepared  ardently  to  engage  in  it,  when  he 
became  convinced  that  by  doing  so,  he  would 
severely  wound  the  heart  of  an  anxious  pa 
rent;  and  with  a  true  spirit  of  heroism  he 
denied  himself,  and  in  obedience  to  the  com 
mand,  "  Hon6ur  thy  mother,"  he  gave  up  his 
fondly  cherished  plan,  and  yielded  his  own 
inclinations,  to  promote  her  comfort.  Thus, 
while  his  manly  superiority  to  companions  of 
his  own  age  caused  admiration,  his  filial  ten 
derness  was  an  example  to  them  of  compliance 
with  the  direction  which  is  given  to  children 
in  the  word  of  God.  "  Let  them  learn  first 
to  show  piety  at  home,  and  to  requite  their 
parents,"  and  they  are  assured  that  "  this  is 
good  and  acceptable  to  the  Lord."  Washing 
ton  proved  the  truth  of  this  assurance ;  for,  to 
the  act  of  filial  regard  which  "  requited"  the 
anxious  cares  of  his  mother,  may  be  traced 
his  usefulness  to  his  country,  and  the  glory  of 
his  character.  If  he  had  crossed  his  mother's 


WASHINGTON.  23 

wish,  and  entered  the  British  navy  as  a  mid 
shipman,  it  is  not  probable,  that  he  would 
ever  have  deserved,  or  obtained,  the  title  of 
"  Father  of  his  country." 

Being  unwilling  to  remain  inactive,  young 
Washington  employed  himself  industriously 
and  usefully  in  surveying  unsettled  lands  ;  and 
when  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  was 
appointed  one  of  the  adjutant  generals  of  Vir 
ginia,  with  the  rank  of  a  major.  At  that  time, 
the  French  nation  had  large  settlements  in 
Canada,  and  in  Louisiana,  and  they  deter 
mined  on  connecting  those  settlements  by  a 
line  of  forts ;  in  doing  this  they  took  posses 
sion  of  a  tract  of  land,  which  was  considered 
to  be  within  the  province  of  Virginia.  The 
governor  of  Virginia,  (Mr.  Dinwiddie)  thought 
it  was  his  duty  to  notice  this,  in  the  name  of 
his  king ;  and  it  was  very  important,  that  the 
person  whom  he  employed  in  the  business, 
should  have  resolution  and  prudence.  Young 
Washington  was  worthy  of  his  confidence, 
and  willingly  undertook  the  perilous  duty  ;  as 
it  gave  him  an  opportunity  of  being  actively 
employed  for  the  advantage  of  his  native-  pro 
vince.  The  dangers  which  he  knew  he  must 
meet,  did  not,  for  a  moment,  deter  him  from 
consenting  to  set  out  immediately  on  the  toil 
some  journey,  although  winter  was  near.  He 
was  to  take  a  letter  from  the  governor,  to  the 
commanding  officer  of  the  French  troops,  who 
were  stationed  on  the  Ohio  river ;  and  the 


24  LIFE    OF 

way  he  had  to  go,  was  through  a  part  of  the 
country  that  had  never  been  furrowed  by  the 
plough,  or,  indeed,  marked  by  any  footsteps, 
but  those  of  wild  animals,  or  ferocious  Indians. 
Many  of  those  Indians  were  enemies,  and 
those  who  had  shown  any  disposition  to  be 
friendly,  could  not  be  safely  trusted. 

The  same  day,  (October  31, 1753,)  on  which 
Washington  received  the  letter  which  he  was 
to  be  the  bearer  of,  he  left  Williamsburgh, 
and  travelled  with  speed  until  he  arrived  at 
the  frontier  settlement  of  the  province  ;  and 
there  engaged  a  guide  to  show  him  the  way 
over  the  wild  and  rugged  Alleghany  moun 
tain,  which,  at  that  season  of  the  year,  it  was 
difficult  to  pass.  The  waters  to  be  crossed 
were  high,  and  the  snow  to  be  waded  through, 
was  deep ;  but  persevering  resolutely,  he  ar 
rived  at  Turtle  Creek,  where  he  was  told  by 
an  Indian  trader,  that  the  French  commander 
had  died  a  short  time  before,  and  that  the 
French  troops  had  gone  into  winter  quarters. 

He  went  on  with  increased  ardour,  because 
the  difficulty  of  his  duty  was  increased ;  but 
he  did  not  neglect  the  opportunity  of  examin 
ing  the  country  through  which  he  passed; 
wishing  to  discover  the  best  situations  on 
which  forts  could  be  erected  for  the  defence 
of  the  province. 

As  the  waters  were  impassable  without 
swimming  the  horses,  he  got  a  canoe  to  take 
the  baggage  about  ten  miles,  to  the  forks  of 


WASHINGTON. 


the  Ohio  river;  intending  to  cross  the  Alle- 
ghany  there.  In  his  journal  he  wrote,  "  as  I 
got  down  before  the  canoe,  I  spent  some  time 
in  viewing  the  rivers  and  the  land  in  the  fork 
which  I  think  extremely  well  suited  for  a  fort, 
as  it  has  the  absolute  command  of  both  rivers. 
The  land  at  the  point  is  twenty  or  twenty- 
five  feet  above  the  common  surface."" 

The  spot  thus  described  was  «oon  after 
wards  the  site  of  the  French  fort  Duquesne. 
It  was  subsequently  called  fort  Pitt  by  the 
English,  and  from  this  the  name  of  the  town 
of  Pittsburg  was  taken,  which  was  built  near 
the  fort,  and  is  now  a  city,  containing  22,000 
inhabitants.  Washington  remained  a  few  days 
in  that  neighbourhood,  for  the  purpose  of  en 
deavouring  to  persuade  the  Indian  warriors  to 
be  friendly  to  the  English.  By  a  firm  but 
mild  manner,  he  gained  friends  among  the  in 
habitants  of  the  forest,  and  obtained  guides  to 
conduct  him  by  the  shortest  way  to  the  fort, 
where  he  expected  to  find  a  French  officer,  to 
whom  he  might  give  the  letter  from  the  go 
vernor,  as  the  commander  was  dead. 

He  arrived  there  in  safety,  and  when  he 
had  received  an  answer  from  the  officer,  set 
out  immediately  on  his  return,  and  the  journey 
proved  a  very  dangerous  and  toilsome  one. 
Some  extracts  from  his  journal,  which  he 
kept  with  exactness,  will  show  his  disregard 
of  self,  when  he  was  performing  a  duty  for 
the  benefit  of  others.  He  had  put  on  an  In- 
C 


26  LIFE    OF 

dian  walking  dress,  and  given  his  horse  to  as 
sist  in  carrying  provisions  ;  the  cold  increased 
very  much  and  the  roads  were  getting  worse 
every  day,  from  the  freezing  of  a  deep  snow, 
so  that  the  horses  became  almost  unable  to 
travel.  After  describing  this  difficulty,  he 
wrote  thus: — 

"  As  I  was  uneasy  to  get  back,  to  make  a 
report  of  my  proceedings  to  his  honour  the 
governor,  I  determined  to  prosecute  my  jour 
ney  the  nearest  way,  through  the  woods,  on 
foot.  I  took  my  necessary  papers,  pulled  off 
my  clothes,  and  tied  myself  up  in  a  watch 
coat.  Then,  with  gun  in  hand  and  pack  on 
my  back,  in  which  were  my  papers  and  pro 
visions,  I  set  out  with  Mr.  Gist,  fitted  in  the 
same  manner.  We  fell  in  with  a  party  of  In 
dians,  who  had  laid  in  wait  for  us.  One  of 
them  fired,  not  fifteen  steps  off,  but  fortunately 
missed  ;  we  walked  on  the  remaining  part  of 
the  night,  without  making  any  stop,  that  we 
might  get  the  start  so  far,  as  to  be  out  of  the 
reach  of  their  pursuit  the  next  day,  as  we 
were  well  assured  that  they  would  follow  our 
track  as  soon  as  it  was  light.  The  next  day 
we  continued  travelling  until  quite  dark,  and 
got  to  the  river.  We  expected  to  have  found 
the  river  frozen,  but  it  was  not,  only  about 
fifty  yards  from  each  shore.  The  ice  I  sup 
pose  had  been  broken  up,  for  it  was  driving 
in  vast  quantities.  There  was  no  way  of  get 
ting  over  but  on  a  raft ;  which  we  set  about 


WASHINGTON.  27 

making,  with  but  one  poor  hatchet,  and  finish 
ed  just  after  sun-setting:  this  was  a  whole 
day's  work.  We  got  it  launched,  then  went 
on  board  of  it,  and  set  off;  but  before  we 
were  half-way  over,  we  were  jammed  in  the 
ice  in  such  a  manner,  that  we  expected  every 
moment  our  raft  to  sink,  and  ourselves  to 
perish.  I  put  out  my  setting  pole  to  try  to 
stop  the  raft,  that  the  ice  might  pass  by,  when 
the  rapidity  of  the  stream  threw  it  with  so 
much  violence  against  the  pole,  that  it  jerked 
me  out  into  ten  feet  water." 

In  this  dangerous  situation  he  was  saved  by 
the  protecting  hand  of  God,  and  enabled  again 
to  get  on  the  raft ;  and  by  the  next  morning, 
the  river  was  frozen  so  hard,  that  there  was 
no  difficulty  in  getting  to  the  shore  on  the  ice. 
The  remainder  of  the  journey  was  very  fa 
tiguing,  being  in  the  month  of  December,  and 
for  fifteen  days  it  either  snowed  or  rained. 

He  arrived  the  16th  of  January  at  Williams- 
burgh,  and  delivered  the  important  letter  to 
the  governor.  The  answer  of  the  French 
officer,  which  was  contained  in  the  letter,  was 
such  as  to  make  needful  immediate  prepara 
tions  for  defending  the  frontier  of  the  province. 
The  resolution  with  which  Washington  had 
performed  the  duty  entrusted  to  him,  and  the 
judgment  he  had  shown  in  his  conduct  to 
wards  the  Indians,  gained  the  favourable  opi 
nion  of  the  people  of  the  province,  as  well  as 
that  of  the  governor,  and  he  was  appointed  a 


28  LIFE    OF 

lieutenant-colonel  of  the  regiment  which  was 
formed  to  march  to  the  frontier,  in  order  to 
prevent  the  French  erecting  their  forts  on  it. 
Ardent  and  active,  he  obtained  permission  to 
march  with  two  companies,  in  advance  of  the 
regiment,  to  a  place  called  the  Great  Meadows ; 
he  thought  that  in  doing  so,  he  would  have 
an  opportunity  of  getting  early  information  as 
to  the  movements  of  the  French,  and  of  form 
ing  a  treaty  with  the  Indians,  to  prevent  their 
joining  them.  On  arriving  there,  he  was  in 
formed,  by  an  Indian,  that  the  French  com 
mander  had  sent  a  party  to  stop  the  American 
workmen,  who  were  erecting  a  fort;  and  that 
they  were  forming  one  for  themselves,  called 
fort  Duquesne.  The  Indian  also  gave  the  in 
formation,  that  French  troops  were  advancing 
from  that  fort  towards  the  Great  Meadows. 
The  night  on  which  this  account  was  given, 
was  dark  and  rainy ;  but  Washington  marched 
rapidly  with  his  soldiers  to  the  place  where 
the  Indian  said  the  French  would  be  encamp 
ed  ;  and  there  he  found  them,  and  surrounded 
them  so  unexpectedly,  that  they  gave  them 
selves  up  as  his  prisoners.  The  chief  officer 
of  that  part  of  the  regiment  which  was  march 
ing  slowly  on,  died ;  and  Washington  then 
had  the  entire  command  of  about  four  hundred 
men.  They  joined  him,  and  he  directed  them 
to  form  a  shelter  for  their  horses  and.  pro 
visions  ;  when  it  was  completed,  they  named 
it  fort  Necessity. 


WASHINGTON.  29 

After  placing  the  horses  and  bag-gage  in  it, 
Washington  marched  with  his  troops  towards 
fort  Duquesne,  for  the  purpose  of  endeavour 
ing  to  drive  the  French  from  it;  but  when  he 
had  advanced  about  thirteen  miles,  an  Indian 
told  him,  that  there  were  "  as  many  French 
men  coming  towards  him,  as  there  were  pi 
geons  in  the  woods  ;"  and  he  thought  it  was 
most  prudent  to  return  to  his  little  fort,  and 
meet  their  attack  there.  He  returned,  and 
assisted  his  men  in  digging  a  ditch  round  the 
fort,  and  while  they  were  thus  engaged,  about 
fifteen  hundred  French  and  Indians  made  their 
appearance,  and  soon  began  to  attack  them. 
The  ditch  was  not  sufficiently  completed  to 
be  of  any  use.  The  Indians  sent  their  arrows 
from  behind  the  surrounding  trees,  and  the 
French  fired  from  the  shelter  of  the  high  grass. 
Washington  continued  outside  of  the  little 
fort,  directing  and  aiding  his  soldiers,  from 
ten  o'clock  until  dark,  when  the  French  com 
mander  made  an  otfer  to  cease  the  attack,  if 
the  fort  would  be  given  up  to  him.  The  con 
ditions  he  first  named,  Washington  would  not 
agree  to  ;  but  at  last,  the  French  commander 
consented  to  allow  the  troops  to  march  out 
with  their  baggage,  ?ud  return  to  the  inhabit 
ed  part  of  the  provirre,  and  Washington  then 
gave  up  the  fort.  He  nurned  to  Williams- 
burgh,  and  the  cour.i.^  ^'ith  which  he  had 
acted,  and  the  favourable  Wms  he  had  obtained 
from  so  large  a  force,  increased  the  confidence 


30  LIFE    OF 

of  his  countrymen  in  his  character.    This  oc 
currence  took  place  on  the  third  of  July.  1754. 

In  the  course  of  the  next  winter,  orders 
were  received,  that  officers  who  had  commis 
sions  from  the  king,  should  be  placed  above 
those  belonging  to  the  province,  without  regard 
to  their  rank.  The  feeling  of  what  was  due  to 
him  as  an  American,  prevented  Washington 
from  submitting  to  this  unjust  regulation,  and 
he  resigned  his  commission.  Many  letters  were 
written  to  him,  to  persuade  him  not  to  do  so ; 
and  he  answered  them,  with  an  assurance 
that  he  would  "  serve  willingly,  when  he 
could  do  so  without  dishonour."  His  eldest 
brother  had  died,  and  left  to  him  a  farm  called 
Mount  Vernon,  situated  in  Virginia,  near  the 
Potomac  river  ;  he  took  possession  of  it,  and 
began  to  employ  himself  industriously  in  its 
cultivation.  While  he  was  thus  engaged, 
General  Braddock  was  sent  from  England,  to 
prepare  and  command  troops  for  the  defence 
of  Virginia,  through  the  summer.  Hearing  of 
the  conduct  of  Washington  as  an  officer,  and 
of  his  reasons  for  giving  up  his  commission, 
he  invited  him  to  become  his  aid-de-camp. 
He  accepted  the  invitation,  on  condition  that 
he  might  be  permitted  to  return  to  his  farm 
when  the  active  duties  of  the  campaign  should 
be  over. 

The  army  was  formed  of  two  regiments  of 
British  troops,  and  a  IV  w  companies  of  Vir 
.g-inians.  The  third  day  after  the  march  com- 


WASHINGTON.  31 

menced,  Washington  was  taken  ill,  with  a 
violent  fever.  He  would  not  consent  to  be  left 
behind,  and  was  laid  in  a  covered  wagon.  He 
thought  that  it  was  very  important  to  reach 
the  frontier  as  soon  as  possible,  and  he  knew 
the  difficulties  of  the  way; ;  he  therefore  pro 
posed  to  General  Braddock,  who  asked  his 
advice,  to  send  on  a  part  of  the  army,  while 
the  other  part  moved  slowly,  with  the  artil 
lery  and  baggage  wagons.  Twelve  hundred 
men  were  chosen,  and  General  Braddock  ac 
companied  them ;  but  though  not  cumbered 
with  baggage,  their  movements  did  not  satisfy 
Washington.  He  wrote  to  his  brother,  that, 
"  instead  of  pushing  on  with  vigour,  without 
minding  a  little  rough  road,  they  were  halting 
to  level  every  molehill,  and  erect  bridges  over 
every  brook."  What  seemed  mountains  to 
them,  were  molehills  to  the  ardent  temper  of 
Washington.  His  illne'ss  increased  so  much, 
that  the  physician  said  his  life  would  be  en 
dangered  by  going  on,  and  General  Braddock 
would  not  suffer  him  to  do  so,  but  gave  him 
u  promise  to  have  him  brought  after  him,  so 
soon  as  he  could  bear  the  ride.  He  recovered 
sufficiently,  in  a  short  time,  to  join  the  ad 
vanced  troops;  and  though  very  weak,  entered 
immediately  on  the  performance  of  his  duties. 
General  Braddock  proceeded  on  his  march 
without  disturbance,  until  he  arrived  at  the 
Monongahela  river,  about  seven  miles  from 
Fort  Duquesne.  As  he  was  preparing  to 


32  LIFE    OF 

cross  the  river,  at  the  place  since  called  Brad 
dock's  Ford,  a  few  Indians  were  seen  on  the 
opposite  shore,  who  made  insulting1  gestures, 
and  then  turned  and  fled  as  the  British  troops 
advanced.  Braddock  gave  orders  that  the  In 
dians  should  be  pursued.  Colonel  Washing 
ton  was  well  acquainted  with  the  manner  in 
which  the  French,  assisted  by  Indians,  made 
their  attacks  ;  and  being  aware  of  the  danger 
into  which  the  troops  might  be  led,  he  earn 
estly  entreated  General  Braddock  not  to  pro 
ceed,  until  he  should,  with  his  Virginia  ran 
gers,  search  the  forest.  His  proposal  offended 
Braddock,  who  disregarded  the  prudent  coun 
sel,  and  ordered  his  troops  to  cross  the  river ; 
the  last  of  them  were  yet  wading  in  it,  when 
the  bullets  of  an  unseen  enemy  thinned  the 
ranks  of  those  who  had  been  incautiously  led 
into  the  entrance  of  a  hollow,  where  the  French 
and  Indians  were  concealed  by  the  thick  under 
wood,  from  which  they  could  securely  fire  on 
the  English.  In  a  few  moments,  the  fearful 
War-whoop  was  sounded,  and  the  French  and 
Indians  rushed  from  their  shelter  on  the  aston 
ished  troops  of  Braddock,  and  pursued  them 
to  the  banks  of  the  Monongahela. 

In  vain  did  their  commander,  and  the  un 
daunted  Washington,  endeavour  to  restore 
them  to  order  and  prevent  their  flight.  The 
deadly  aim  of  the  enemy  was  so  sure,  that  in 
a  very  short  time  Washington  was  the  only 
aid  of  General  Braddock  that  was  left  to  carr} 


WASHINGTON.  33 

nis  orders  and  assist  in  encouraging  the  af 
frighted  troops.  For  three  hours,  he  was  ex 
posed  to  the  aim  of  the  most  perfect  marks 
men  ;  two  horses  fell  under  him  ;  a  third  was 
wounded;  four  balls  pierced  his  coat,  and 
several  grazed  his  sword ;  every  other  officer 
was  either  killed  or  wounded,  and  he  alone 
remained  unhurt.  The  Indians  directed  the 
flight  of  their  arrows  towards  his  breast,  and 
the  French  made  him  a  mark  for  their  rifles, 
but  both  were  harmless,  for  the  shield  of  his 
God  protected  him,  and  "  covered  his  head  in 
the  heat  of  battle."  His  safety,  in  the  midst 
of  such  attacks,  astonished  his  savage  enemies, 
and  they  called  him  "  The  Spirit-protected 
man,  who  would  be  a  chief  of  nations,  for  he 
could  not  die  in  battle."  Thus  did  even  the 
savages  own  a  divine  power  in  his  preserva 
tion  ;  and  the  physician,  who  was  on  the  battle 
ground,  in  speaking  of  him  afterwards,  said, 
"  I  expected  every  moment  to  see  him  fall ; — 
his  duty,  his  situation,  exposed  him  to  every 
danger ;  nothing  but  the  superintending  care 
of  Providence  could  have  saved  him  from  the 
fate  of  all  around  him." — This  battle  took  place 
on  the  8th  of  July,  1755.  In  a  note  to  a  ser 
mon  preached  a  month  afterwards,  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Davies,  of  Virginia,  (afterwards  president 
of  Princeton  College)  we  find  mention  made 
by  the  author  of  "  that  heroic  youth,  Colonel 
Washington,  whom  I  cannot  but  hope  Provi 
dence  has  hitherto  preserved,  in  so  signal  a 


34  LIFE    OF 

manner,  for   some    important   service  to  his 
country." 

General  Braddock  was  mortally  wounded, 
and  his  few  remaining  soldiers  then  fled  in 
every  direction.  But  his  brave  and  faithful 
aid,  with  about  thirty  courageous  Virginians, 
remained  on  the  field,  to  save  their  wounded 
commander  from  the  hatchet  and  the  scalp 
ing  knife  of  the  Indians.  They  conveyed 
him  with  tenderness  and  speed  towards  that 
part  of  his  army  which  was  slowly  advan 
cing  with  the  baggage,  and  he  died  in  their 
camp,  and  was  buried  in  the  middle  of  a 
road,  that  his  grave  might  be  concealed 
from  the  Indians  by  wagon  tracks.  A  few 
years  since,  his  remains  were  removed  to  a 
short  distance,  as  the  great  Cumberland  road, 
made  by  the  government  of  the  United  States, 
was  to  pass  directly  over  the  spot  where 
he  had  been  laid.  More  than  seventy-five 
years  have  passed,  since  the  terrible  scene  of 
Braddock's  defeat.  The  plough  has  since 
furrowed  the  ground  which  was  then  moist 
ened  with  the  blood  of  the  slain ;  but  it  is 
saddening  to  see  on  it  white  spots  of  crumbled 
bones,  and  to  find  amidst  the  green  stalks  of 
grain,  buttons  of  the  British  soldiers,  marked 
ivith  the  number  of  their  regiment,  and  even 
the  brazen  ornaments  of  their  caps.  "  Brad- 
dock's  road,"  as  the  path  was  called,  which 
nis  troops  cut  through  the  forest,  is  now  almost 
overgrown,  with  bushes  ;  and  few  travellers 


WASHINGTON.  35 

pass  near  to  it,  without  stopping  to  look  along 
its  windings,  and  recall  the  time  when  it  was 
filled  with  animated  soldiers,  who  were  soon 
to  be  silenced  by  the  destructive  weapons  of 
war. 

In  writing  an  account  of  this  dreadful  de 
feat,  Washington  said,  "  See  the  wondrous 
works  of  Providence,  an<jl  the  uncertainty  of 
human  things  !"  He  was  much  distressed 
by  the  loss  of  the  army :  and  the  officer  next 
in  command  to  General  Braddock,  instead  of 
endeavouring  to  prepare  for  a  better  defence, 
went  into  winter  quarters,  although  it  was 
only  the  month  of  August.  It  \vas  thought 
necessary  to  raise  more  troops  immediately, 
and  the  command  of  all  that  should  be  raised 
in  Virginia  was  offered  to  Washington,  writh 
the  privilege  of  naming  his  own  officers.  He 
willingly  accepted  this  offer,  as  he  could  do 
so  without  placing  himself  under  British  com 
manders,  who  were  not  really  above  him  in 
rank.  He  immediately  set  off  to  visit  the 
troops  that  had  been  placed  in  different 
situations  along  the  borders  of  the  province : 
and  on  his  return  to  prepare  for  an  active  de 
fence,  he  wras  overtaken  by  a  messenger,  with 
an  account,  that  a  number  of  French  troops 
and  Indian  warriors,  divided  into  parties, 
were  capturing  and  murdering  the  inhabitants 
of  the  back  settlements, — burning  the  houses 
and  destroying  the  crops  ;  and  that  the  troops 
stationed  there,  were  unable  to  protect  them. 


35  LIFE    OF 

Washington  immediately  used  every  means 
within  his  power  to  provide  for  their  relief ; 
but  it  was  impossible  to  defend,  with  a  few 
troops,  a  frontier  of  almost  four  hundred  miles. 
from  an  enemy  that  "  skulked  by  day,  and 
plundered  by  night."  While  he  was  anxiously 
doing  what  he  could,  he  wrote  to  the  gover 
nor  an  account  of  the  distress  around  him  ; 
and  added,  "  I  see  their  situation, — I  know 
their  danger,  and  participate  their  sufferings, 
without  having  the  power  to  give  them  fur 
ther  relief  than  uncertain  promises.  *  * 
The  supplicating  tears  of  the  women,  and  the 
moving  petitions  of  the  men,  melt  me  with 
deadly  sorrow." — It  might  have  been  expect 
ed,  that  the  people  in  their  distress  would  blame 
him  for  not  protecting  them  better  ;  but  no 
murmur  arose  against  him  ;  they  all  acknow 
ledged,  that  he  was  doing  as  much  for  them 
as  was  within  his  power. 

He  wrote  to  the  lieutenant-governor  the 
most  earnest  and  pressing  requests  for  more 
assistance  ;  but  instead  of  receiving  it,  he  was 
treated  unkindly,  as  he  related  in  a  letter  to  a 
friend. — •'  Whence  it  arises,  or  why,  I  am 
truly  ignorant,  but  my  strongest  representa 
tions  of  matters,  relative  to  the  peace  of  the 
frontiers,  are  disregarded  as  idle  and  frivolous  ; 
my  propositions  and  measures  as  partial  and 
selfish ;  and  all  my  sincerest  endeavours  for 
the  service  of  my  country,  perverted  to  the 
worst  purposes.  My  orders  are  dark,  doubt- 

D2 


WASHINGTON.  37 

ful,  and  uncertain. — To-day  approved,  to 
morrow  condemned  ;  left  to  act  and  proceed 
at  hazard,  and  blamed  without  the  benefit  of 
defence.  However,  I  am  determined  to  bear 
up  some  time  longer,  in  the  hope  of  better 
regulations." — Though  disappointed  in  all 
his  best  formed  plans,  by  the  obstinacy  and 
ill-nature  of  the  person  who  had  the  power  t< 
control  him,  and  pained  by  the  increasing 
sufferings  around  him,  which  he  was  not  en 
abled  to  relieve,  yet  he- did  not  suffer  an  an 
gry  resentment  to  induce  him  to  give  up  the 
effort  of  doing  some  good. 

He  continued  his  active  and  humane  en 
deavours,  and  pleaded  for  the  relief  of  his  suf 
fering  countrymen,  until  his  pleadings  were 
called  impertinent.  In  answer  to  this,  he 
wrote  to  the  governor,  "  I  must  beg  leave, 
in  justification  of  my  own  conduct,  to  observe, 
that  it  is  with  pleasure  I  receive  reproof,  when 
reproof  is  due;  because  no  person  (-an  be- 
readier  to  accuse  me  than  I  am  to  acknowledge 
an  error,  when  I  have  committed  it ;  or  more 
desirous  of  atoning  for  a  crime,  when  I  am 
sensible  of  being  guilty  of  one.  But  on  the 
other  hand,  it  is  with  concern  I  remark,  that 
my  conduct,  although  I  have  uniformly  studied 
to  make  it  as  unexceptionable  as  I  could,  does 
not  appear  to  you  in  a  favourable  light."—— 
With  calm  dignity  he  endured  a  continuance 
of  such  vexations,  without  ceasing  to  toil  in 
his  almost  hopeless  work  of  humanity. 
D 


38  LIFE    OF 

A  new  commander  of  the  British  troops 
was  sent  from  England,  and  he  listened  to 
Washington's  opinion,  that  the  frontiers  could 
not  be  freed  from  the  dreadful  visits  of  the 
.Indians,  in  connection  with  the  French,  until 
they  were  driven  from  Fort  Duquesne;  for 
that  was  the  place  from  which  they  started  on 
their  destructive  expeditions.  When  it  was 
determined  that  this  should  be  attempted, 
Washington  advanced  with  a  few  troops,  to 
open  the  way  for  jhe  army ;  but  before  they 
reached  the  fort,  the  French  left  it,  and  the 
English  took  possession  of  it,  November  1758, 
and  named  it  Fort  Pitt.  As  Washington  had 
expected,  the  possession  of  this  fort  prevented 
all  further  attacks  on  the  frontiers  ;  and  when 
his  countrymen  were  freed  from  the  dangers 
which  he  had  left  his  farm  to  assist  in  defend 
ing  them  against,  he  determined  on  returning 
to  it.  His  health  had  been  injured  by  his 
being  exposed  to  severe  cold,  and  being 
often,  for  many  days,  unsheltered  from  the 
falling  rain ;  and  he  felt  that  he  ought  to  use 
means  to  restore  it,  as  he  could  do  so  with 
out  neglecting  a  more  important  duty.  He 
resigned  his  commission,  and  the  officers 
whom  he  had  commanded  united  in  offering 
to  him  affectionate  assurances  of  regret  for 
the  loss  of  "  such  an  excellent  commander, 
such  a  sincere  friend,  and  so  affable  a  com 
panion." 

Soon  after  his  return   to  his  farm,  in  the 


WASHINGTON.  3& 

twenty-seventh  year  of  his  age,  he  married 
Mrs.  Custis,  a  lady  to  whom  Tie  had  been 
long  attached,  and  who  was  deserving  of  his 
affection.  She  had  an  amiable  temper,  and 
was  an  agreeable  companion ;  and  in  per 
forming  all  the  duties  of  a  wife,  she  made  his 
home  a  scene  of  domestic  comfort,  which  he 
felt  no  desire  to  leave.  Employing  himself 
in  directing  the  Cultivation  of  his  ground,  and 
in  the  performance  of  all  the  private  duties 
of  his  situation,  he  lived  foi  several  years 
in  retirement,  except  when  attending  the  legis 
lature  of  Virginia,  of  which  he  was  a  mem 
ber. 

For  the  benefit  of  his  health,  he  sometimes 
visited  a  public  spring  in  his  native  state,  to 
which  sick  persons  went,  with  the  hope  of 
being  relieved  by  using  the  water.  At  the 
season  when  there  were  manv  persons  there, 
it  was  the  custom  of  a  baker  to  furnish  a  par 
ticular  kind  of  bread,  for  those  who  could 
afford  to  pay  a  good  price  for  it.  One  day 
it  was  observed  by  a  visiter,  that  several  mise 
rably  poor  sick  persons  tottered  into  the  room 
where  the  bread  was  kept,  and  looked  at  the 
baker,  who  nodded  his  head,  and  each  one  took 
up  a  loaf,  and,  with  a  cheerful  countenance 
walked  feebly  away.  The  visiter  praised  the 
baker  for  his  charitable  conduct,  in  letting 
those  have  his  bread,  whom  he  knew  could 
never  pay  him  ;  but  he  honestly  answered,  "  I 
iose  nothing,- -Colonel  Washington  is  here 


40  LIFE    OF 

and  all  the  sick  poor  may  have  as  much  of  my 
bread  as  they  can  eat ;  he  pays  the  bill,  and  I 
assure  you  it  is  no  small  one." 

All  his  private  actions  were  as  deserving 
of  the  approbation  of  his  countrymen,  as  those 
of  a  public  nature  had  been  of  their  respect 
and  praise  ;  and  those  who  were  nearest  to 
him,  and  knew  him  best,  loved  him  most. 


CHAPTER  II. 

1763—1776. 

THE  desire  to  possess  power,  and  the  ill 
use  of  it  when  possessed,  have  caused  much 
misery  in  nations,  societies,  and  families  ;  and 
even  children  show  the  evil  effects  in  over 
bearing  conduct  to  each  other,  and  in  delight 
ing  to  crush  the  feeble  worm  which  crawls  at 
their  feet.  But  if  that  love  which  fulfils  the  law 
of  GJod  were  in  every  heart,  the  precept  of 
our  divine  Redeemer,  "All  things  whatsoever 
ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye 
even  so  to  them,"  would  be  the  rule  of  all 
actions ;  then  families,  societies,  and  nations, 
would  be  ever  peaceful.  The  English  govern 
ment,  however,  disregarded  this  precept,  and 
made  an  unjust  use  of  their  power  over  the 
American  provinces.  The  people  paid  various 


WASHINGTON.  41 

duties  on  their  trade,  and  made  no  objection 
to  doing  so  ;  but  at  the  close  of  the  war  with 
the  French,  the  English  parliament  deter 
mined  on  taxing  them,  for  the  purpose,  they 
said,  of  assisting  to  pay  the  expenses  of  the 
war.  The  Americans  had  lost  a  great  num 
ber  of  their  young  men  in  that  war,  and  had 
also  contributed  their  full  proportion  of  money 
for  carrying  it  on ;  this  new  tax,  therefore, 
caused  universal  displeasure,  and  they  began 
to  think,  and  to  say,  that  parliament  had  no 
right  to  tax  them,  as  they  were  not  allowed  to 
send  members  to  that  body  to  represent  them. 
Petitions  against  the  tax  were  sent  to  the 
king  and  to  parliament,  but  they  \Vere  disre 
garded  ;  and  in  March  1765,  a  law  called  the 
"  stamp  act,"  was  passed,  which  was  to  oblige 
the  Americans  in  their  business  transactions,  to 
use  paper  on  which  the  seal  of  the  British  go 
vernment  was  stamped.  That  paper  was  to  be 
taxed,  and  no  writings  of  agreement  were  to 
be  considered  binding,  unless  they  were  writ 
ten  on  stamped  paper.  The  Americans  reso 
lutely  determined  on  opposing  this  tax.  In 
New  York  the  act  was  printed,  and  carried 
about  the  streets,  by  the  title  of  "  The  Folly 
of  England,  and  the  ruin  of  America  ;"  and. 
when  the  ships  that  brought  the  stamps  ar 
rived  at  Philadelphia,  all  the  vessels  in  the 
harbour  hoisted  their  colours  half-mast  high, 
as  a  sign  of  mourning,  and  the  state-house  bell 
was  muffled,  and  continued  to  toll  until  evening 

D2 


42  LIFE    OF 

The  same  dissatisfaction  was  felt  -in  all  the 
provinces ;  and  when  this  was  known  in  En 
gland,  there  were  many  speeches  made  on 
the  subject,  by  members  of  parliament.  One 
of  them,  Mr.  Grenville,  said,  the  Americans 
ought  not  to  object  to  assist  in  paying  the 
debts  of  the  English  government,  for  they 
were  "  children  of  their  planting,  and  were 
nourished  by  their  indulgence,  and  protected 
by  their  arms,  until  they  had  grown  up  to  a 
good  degree  of  strength  and  opulence."  Colo 
nel  rfarre,  a  member  who  was  desirous  that 
they  should  be  treated}' ustly,  said,  in  answer — 
"  *  Children  planted  by  your  care' !  No — your 
oppression  planted  them  in  America  !  They 
fled  from  your  tyranny  into  a  then  uncultivated 
land,  where  they  were  exposed  to  all  the  hard 
ships  to  which  human  nature  is  liable.  '  They 
nourished  by  your  indulgence !'  No — they 
grew  by  your  neglect !  When  you  began  to 
care  about  them,  that  care  was  exercised  in 
sending  persons  to  rule  over  them,  whose  be 
haviour,  on  many  occasions,  has  caused  the 
blood  of  those  sons  of  liberty  to  boil  wiuiin 
them !  '  They  protected  by  your  arms !' 
They  have  nobly  taken  up  arms  in  your 
defence ;  have  exerted  their  valour  amidst 
their  constant  and  laborious  industry,  for  the 
defence  of  a  country,  the  interior  of  which, 
while  its  frontiers  were  drenched  in  blood, 
has  yielded  all  its  little  savings  to  your  en 
largement."  His  appeal,  however,  had  no 


WASHINGTON.  43 

effect,  and  the  eloquence  of  the  great  Earl  of 
Chatham,  with  the  efforts  of  other  patriots  in 
England,  availed  as  little  in  stopping  the  mad 
career  of  the  British  government  in  its  op 
pressive  acts. 

The  assembly  of  Massachusetts,  proposed 
a  Congress  to  be  held  at  New  York,  to  con 
sult  together  on  the  subject  of  the  right  of  the 
English  government  to  tax  them.  Repre 
sentatives  from  nine  of  the  provinces  met  ac 
cordingly,  in  October  1765,  and  decided  that 
the  colonies  alone  had  the  right  to  lay  taxes. 
This  decision  was  expressed  in. a  petition  to 
the  king,  and  to  the  parliament.  When  the 
parliament  found  that  the  resolution  to  op 
pose  the  stamp  act,  was  so  general  and  firm 
in  all  the  provinces,  it  was  repealed;  but  as 
they  were  determined  to  show  the  Americans 
that  they  would  not  give  up  the  power  of  tax 
ing  them j» the  next  year  they  laid  a  duty  on 
glass,  paints,  and  tea.  Objections  and  petitions 
were  again  sent  to  parliament,  by  the  Ameri 
cans,  and  at  length,  in  1769,  those  duties  were 
all  taken  off,  excepting  that  on  tea.  While 
one  tax  was  continued,  the  Americans  would 
not  be  satisfied.  They  were  not  unwilling'  to 
pay  it,  because  they  did  not  wish  to  part  with 
their  money,  but  because  they  would  not  give 
up  the  principle  that  the  English  government 
had  no  just  right  to  it,  unless  they  were  allowed 
to  have  a  part  in  the  government,  by  sending 
members  to  the  parliament 


44  LIFE    OF 

Dr.  Franklin,  who  was  highly  respected  in 
Europe,  not  only  for  his  good  character,  bm 
for  his  wisdom  in  making  many  useful  dis 
coveries,  was  in  England,  transacting  busi 
ness  for  some  of  the  inhabitants  of  Massachu 
setts,  his  native  province,  and  he  was  appoint 
ed  to  present  a  petition  from  the  assembly  of 
that  province  to  the  English  government,  and 
was  very  active  in  endeavouring  to  obtain 
justice  for  his  countrymen.  The  ill  treat 
ment  which  lie  there  received,  much  excited 
the  feelings  of  his  countrymen,  who  held  him 
in  the  highest  regard.  As  the  tax  on  tea  was 
continued,  the  Americans  resolved  not  to  use 
any  ;  and  the  parliament  then  made  an  agree 
ment  with  the  India  Tea  Company,  by  which 
they  were  to  send  vessels  with  tea  to  the 
provinces,  and  receive  the  duties  on  it,  and 
then  pay  it  to  the  English  government.  But 
the  Americans  had  resolved  to  resist  the  tax, 
no  matter  in  what  way  it  was  laid  ;  and  when 
the  vessels  arrived,  they  would  not  allow  the 
tea  to  be  landed.  The  people  of  Boston  were  so 
much  displeased,  when  a  vessel  with  a  cargo 
of  tea  arrived  there,  in  1774,  that  seventeen  of 
the  most  resolute  men  went  on  board,  disguised 
as  Indians,  and  threw  all  the  tea  into  the  sea. 

This  conduct  led  the  British  government  to 
determine  on  using  all  their  power  to  punish 
the  Americans,  but  particularly  the  inhabitants 
of  Massachusetts  ;  and  they  made  a  law,  that 
the  governor  and  magistrates,  and  other  of 


WASHINGTON.  45 

fleers  of  that  province,  should  no  longer  re 
ceive  the^ir  salaries  from  the  people,  so  as  to 
be  dependent  on  them — but  that  they  should 
be  appointed  by  the  king,  and  paid  by  him  ; 
and  that  if  any  persons  were  accused  of  mur 
der,  or  other  great  crimes,  they  should  not  be 
tried  in  the  province,  but  be  sent  to  England 
to  be  tried.  When  these  new  laws  were 
known  by  the  people  of  the  other  provinces, 
they  sent  assurances  to  the  people  of  Massa 
chusetts,  that  they  would  unite  in  assisting 
them  to  resist  such  injustice.  The  first  of 
June,  the  day  on  which  those  laws  were  to 
commence,  was  appointed  by  the  legislatures 
of  the  different  provinces,  as  one  of  fasting, 
humiliation,  and  prayer,  in  which  the  people 
should  attend  their  places  of  worship,  and 
unite  in  asking  the  support  and  direction  of 
God,  in  that  time  of  public  difficulty. 

One  of  the  titles  given  to  God  is,  "  Thou 
that  nearest  prayer ;"  and  our  divine  Re 
deemer  has  said,  "  If  ye  abide  in  me,  and  my 
words  abide  in  you,  ye  shall  ask  what  ye 
will,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you  ;"  and  w 
that  beautiful  parable  of  the  Pharisee  and  the 
Publican,  he  has  set  before  us  an  example  ot 
the  kind  of  prayer  that  would  be  acceptable  U 
God.  No  doubt  many  pious  American  heart? 
offered  such  a  prayer,  with  humility  and  faith 
and  their  prayers  were  granted ;  for  they 
never  would  have  succeeded  in  defending 
their  rights,  unless  the  mighty  hand  of  God 


46  LIFE    OF 

had  upheld  and  guided  them.  And  those  who 
bore  the  trials  of  that  long  and  painful  contest, 
proved  that  love  to  God,  and  reliance  on  his 
goodness  and  power,  were  the  best  principles 
of  freedom,  and  led  to  the  noblest  sacrifices 
for  their  country.  They  began  with  prayer, 
and  ended  in  victory  and  thanksgiving. 

Without  any  power  to  call  such  an  assem 
bly,  the  place  and  time  of  meeting  were  agreed 
upon  with  surprising  unanimity,  and  on  the 
5th  of  September,  1774,  a  Congress,  composed 
of  delegates  from  twelve  colonies,  containing 
about  three  million  of  inhabitants,  met  at  Phila 
delphia.  Washington  was  one  of  the  mem 
bers,  having  been  sent  by  the  province  of 
Virginia. 

An  incident  illustrative  of  Washington's  re 
ligious  habits  at  this  period  of  his  life,  is  pre 
served  on  unquestionable  authority.  During 
the  session  of  Congress,  a  gentleman,  residing 
in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  anxious  to  learn 
the  chief  of  the  strangers  who  had  assembled 
from  the  several  colonies,  observed  to  Mr. 
Secretary  Thomson,  that  he  had  heard  much 
of  Mr.  Washington  from  Virginia,  and  would 
be  glad  to  know  how  he  could  distinguish  him. 
Mr.  Thomson  replied,  "  You  can  easily  dis 
tinguish  him  when  Congress  goes  to  prayers — 
Mr.  Washington  is  the  gentleman  who  kneels 
down."  Thus,  in  the  prime  of  life,  did  this 
gentleman,  who  was  as  noted  for  his  modesty 
as  for  his  merit,  manifest  to  the  world  his 


WASHINGTON.  4 

sense  of  the  overruling  providence  of  God,  and 
of  the  power  of  prayer  with  him  who  giveth 
to  all  men  liberally  and  upbraideth  not. 

This  incident  is  particularly  worthy  of  re 
cord,  as  it  is  evidently  undesigned  testimony. 
It  is  to  be  lamented  that  the  religious  feelings 
which  Washington  so  uniformly,  and  yet  so 
unostentatiously  exhibited,  are  not  always 
seen  in  those  who  occupy  stations  of  great 
dignity  and  importance.  There  are  men  who 
seem  to  think  that  a  little  brief  authority  on 
earth  sets  them  above  any  dependence  upon 
the  King  of  kings  and  the  Lord  of  lords.  WASH 
INGTON  acknowledged  God  in  all  his  w^ys. 

He  had,  on  all  proper  occasions,  expressed 
the  opinion  that  the  English  parliament  had  no 
just  right  to  tax  the  Americans ;  and  he  had 
spoken  so  firmly  on  the  subject,  that  he  was 
called  "  the  Virginia  Patriot."  The  Congress 
appointed  commitHes,  to  state  what  the  Ameri 
cans  considered  to  be  their  rights,  and  to  pre 
pare  an  address  to  the  people  of  England,  and 
one  to  the  king.  After  stating  to  the  king  their 
causes  for  complaint,  they  assured  him,  that 
they  were  willing  to  continue  under  his  govern 
ment,  if  their  just  requests  were  granted.  They 
said,  "  We  ask  but  for  peace,  liberty,  and 
safety  ;  we  do  not  solicit  the  grant  of  any  new 
right  in  our  favour."  The  mannerin  which  this 
petition  was  treated,  convinced  the  Americans 
that  they  must  submit,  or  prepare  for  mournful 


48  LIFE   OF 

events.  The  king  declared  his  firm  resolve  to 
rule  them  as  he  thought  best;  and  General 
Grant  said  in  Parliament,  that  he  "would  un 
dertake  to  traverse  the  whole  country  with 
five  regiments,  and  drive  the  inhabitants  from 
one  end  of  the  continent  to  the  other." 

In  all  their  determinations,  the  Americans 
had  no  intention  of  commencing  a  war,  but 
they  resolved  that  if  the  English  attempted  to 
force  them  into  submission,  they  would  resis* 
them.  A  number  of  troops  were  sent  from 
England  to  Boston,  and  their  commander 
placed  them  on  Boston  Neck,  and  fortified  it 
for  their  security.  He  also  seized  the  Ameri 
can  military  stores,  at  several  places  in  the 
province,  and  had  them  conveyed  to  Boston. 
When  winter  approached,  he  could  not  get  as 
sistance  to  build  a  shelter  for  his  troops,  and 
no  price  that  he  offered  would  induce  work 
men  to  labour  for  them  ;  4his  convinced  him 
that  all  the  people  were  of  one  mind.  The 
winter  passed  away  without  any  change  fa- 
rourable  to  the  Americans.  A  considerable 
quantity  of  military  stores  had  been  collected 
in  the  town  of  Concord,  about  eighteen  miles 
from  Boston.  General  Gage  resolved  to  de 
stroy  them.  On  the  night  of  the  18th  of  April, 
he  sent  Major  Pitcairn,  with  a  detachment  of 
nine  hundred  men,  for  this  purpose.  They 
marched  quietly,  and  several  officers  went  be 
fore,  to  prevent  any  one  on  the  road  giving 
notice  of  their  approach.  Dr.  Warren,  how- 


WASHINGTON.  49 

ever,  managed  to  send  a  messenger  from  Bos 
ton,  to  give  information  at  Lexington,  where 
the  English  troops  arrived  at  five  o'clock  in 
the  morning  of  April  19th,  and  found  a  com 
pany  of  militia,  consisting  of  seventy  men, 
who  were  parading  under  arms.  Major  Pit- 
cairn  rode  up  to  them,  and  said,  "  Disperse, 
rebels ;  throw  down  your  arms  and  disperse." 
The  soldiers  at  the  same  time  ran  up,  huzza 
ing;  some  few  guns  were  fired,  which  was 
followed  by  a  general  discharge.  The  firing 
was  continued  as  long  as  any  of  the  mili 
tia  appeared :  eight  men  were  killed,  and 
several  wounded.  The  Americans  had  here 
tofore  suffered  and  complained,  but  this  was 
their  first  active  attempt  to  escape  from  the 
unjust  exercise  of  the  power  which  the  En 
glish  possessed.  The  detachment  proceed 
ed  to  Concord;  the  commanding  officer  sent 
six  companies  of  light  infantry  to  take  posses 
sion  of  the  bridges  which  were  beyond  the 
town,  while  the  main  body  were  employed  in 
destroying  the  stores  in  Concord.  Some  mi 
litia  men,  who  were  collected  from  that  place, 
having  orders  not  to  give  the  first  fire,  ap 
proached  one  of  the  bridges  as  if  to  pass  as 
common  travellers.  They  were  fired  on,  and 
two  men  killed.  The  fire  was  returned,  and 
the  English  were  obliged  to  retreat  with  loss. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country 
became  alarmed  by  the  fearful  sounds.  The 
wagoner  left  his  team  in  the  road ;  the  farmer 
E 


50  LIFE    OF 

his  ploug!?  in  the  furrow ;  the  blacksmith 
threw  down  his  hammer, — an'!  the  young;  and 
the  old,  the  strong  and  the  feeble,  ail  rushed 
towards  the  sad  scene.  The  king's  troops 
were  attacked  in  every  direction,  and  were 
driven  back  to  Lexington,  where  they  met  a 
large  detachment,  with  cannon,  which  had 
been  sent  to  assist  them  in  case  they  were  re 
sisted.  They. remained  a  short  time  in  Lex 
ington,  and  then  recommenced  their  march 
They  were  closely  followed  by  the  Ameri 
cans,  who  assailed  the  invaders,  until  they 
arrived,  at  sun-set,  on  the  common  of  Charles- 
town,  and  then  passed  over  to  Bunker's  hill 
where  they  were  safe  for  the  night,  under  the 
protection  of  their  ships  of  war.  _  The  next 
morning  they  crossed  over  Charlestown  ferry 
to  Boston. 

The  English  forts  at  Ticonderoga  and 
Crown  Point,  having  the  command  of  Lake 
George  and  Lake  Champlain,  it  was  thought 
very  important  to  the  Americans  to  get  pos 
session  of  them.  A  number  of  volunteers 
from  Vermont  and  Connecticut,  commanded 
by  Colonel  Ethan  Allen  and  Colonel  Bene 
dict  Arnold,  marched  against  Ticonderoga, 
and  surprised  the  garrison,  which  surrendered 
without  firing  a  single  gun.  Colonel  Seth 
Warren  was  sent  to  take  possession  of  Crown 
Point,  which  he  did  without  meeting  with  any 
resistance.  When  intelligence  of  these  events 
was  brought  to  Congress,  they  recommended 


WASHINGTON.  51 

removing  the  cannon  and  military  stores  to  a 
place  of  greater  safety,  and  directed  that  an 
account  should  be  taken  of  them,  "  in  order 
that  they  might  be  safely  returned,  when  the 
restoration  of  the  former  harmony  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  Colonies,  so  ardently 
wished  for  by  the  latter,  should  render  it  pru 
dent  and  consistent  with  the  over-ruling  law 
of  self-preservation." 

After  considering  all  the  circumstances  of 
the  scene  at  Lexington,  Congress  concluded 
that  an  American  army  must  be  formed  for 
the  defence  of  their  country,  and  this  resolve 
was  made  public  by  an  address  to  the  people 
of  all  the  provinces.  After  relating  the  causes 
for  their  opposition  to  the  English  govern 
ment,  and  the  means  that  had  been  used,  with 
out  effect,  to  obtain  justice,  they  said,  "  By 
one  statute  it  is  declared,  that  Parliament  can 
of  right  make  laws  to  bind  us  in  all  cases 
whatsoever ;  not  a  single  man  of  those  who 
assume  this  power  is  chosen  by  us,  or  subject 
to  our  influence.  *  *  We  gratefully  ac 
knowledge,  as  a  signal  instance  of  the  divine 
favour  towards  us,  that  his  providence  would 
not  permit  us  to  be  called  into  this  severe  con 
troversy,  until  we  were  grown  up  to  our  pre 
sent  strength.  We  fight  not  for  glory  or  for 
conquest.  In  our  native  land,  in  defence  of 
the  freedom  that  is  our  birth-right,  for  the  pro 
tection  of  our  property,  acquired  solely  by  the 
honest  industry  of  our  forefathers  and  our- 


52  LIFE    OF 

selves,  against  violence  actually  offered,  we 
have  taken  up  arms." 

Three  more  English  generals  arrived  at 
Boston,  with  troops,  and  offered  pardon  to  all 
those  who  would  lay  down  their  arms  and 
submit  to  the  king,  with  the  exception  of  Sa 
muel  Adams  and  John  Hancock,  two  men 
who  were  most  distinguished  by  their  ability 
and  zeal  in  the  common  cause  of  their  conn- 
try.  This  offer  made  the  Americans  more  ac 
tive,  as  it  convinced  them  that  there  was  no 
hope  of  safety  but  in  preparation  for  defence. 

As  it  was  expected  that  General  Gage 
would  send  troops  into  the  surrounding  coun 
try,  the  Americans  resolved  on  raising  en 
trenchments  on  a  height  near  Boston,  called 
Bunker's  hill.  A  detachment  of  a  thousand 
men,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Prescot, 
was  sent  for  that  purpose  ;  but  by  some  mis 
take,  they  proceeded  to  another  high  piece  of 
ground,  called  Breed's  hill,  where  they  form 
ed  an  entrenchment,  before  the  dawn  of  day, 
undiscovered  by  the  English  ships,  which  lay 
quite  near  to  them.  As  soon  as  the  enemy 
saw  this  new  work,  they  commenced  a  heavy 
cannonade  upon  it ;  but  this  did  not  prevent 
the  Americans  from  continuing  their  labour. 
As  this  hill  overlooked  Boston,  General  Gage 
thought  it  necessary  to  drive  the  Americans 
from  it ;  and  for  that  purpose,  he  sent  a  de 
tachment  of  about  three  thousand  troops,  com 
manded  by  General  Howe.  Two  American 


WASHINGTON.  53 

generals,  Warren  and  Pomeroy,  joined  their 
countrymen  with  as  many  more  troops  as  made 
their  number  amount  to  fifteen  hundred.  The 
English  advanced  to  attack  the  Americans  on 
the  17th  of  June,  and  while  they  were  doing 
so,  their  general  gave  orders  that  Charlestown 
should  he  set  on  fire  ;  it  contained  about  five 
hundred  houses,  which  were  chiefly  of  wood  ; 
— the  flames  spread  rapidly,  so  that  in  a  short 
time,  the  whole  town  formed  one  great  blaze. 
The  inhabitants  of  Boston  and  the  surround 
ing  country  were  gazing  on  this  awfully  inte 
resting  scene,  with  anxious  feelings  for  their 
countrymen  on  Breed's  hill.  The  English 
troops  advanced  to  within  a  hundred  yards  of 
them,  before  the  Americans  fired  ;  and  when 
they  did  so,  the  English  fell  back.  By  the  ex 
ertions  of  their  officers,  they  were  again  led  for 
ward,  but  a  second  time  were  driven  back. 
A  third  time  they  were  led  up,  and  assisted  by 
the  firing  from  the  ships  and  floating  batteries, 
they  attacked  the  Americans  in  three  different 
directions,  and  almost  battered  down  their 
works  of  defence.  They  had  endeavoured  to 
increase  their  security  by  taking  the  rails  from 
the  fences,  and  putting  them  in  two  rows,  at  a 
short  distance  from  each  other,  and  then  fill 
ing  the  space  between  with  hay.  Their  ammu 
nition  was  soon  spent,  and  finding  that  it 
would  be  va5n  to  attempt  longer  to  resist  their 
powerful  fcx;s,  they  retreated  from  the  hill, 
but  claimed  the  viotory.  because  they  had  lost 

E2 


54  LIFE    OF 

less  than  one  half  of  the  number  which  the 
British  had  lost  in  their  attack.  There  is  so 
much  cause  for  sorrow  connected  with  a  vic 
tory  in  battle,  that  to  a  reflecting  mind,  there 
is  no  gladness  in  the  sound ;  and  English  and 
Americans  had  reason  to  lament  that  sad  dis 
position  of  nature  "whence  come  wars  and 
fightings,"  and  which  can  only  be  restrained 
by  that  "wisdom  which  descerideth  from 
above,  and  is  full  of  mercy,  peaceable,  gentle, 
and  easy  to  be  entreated." 

Thus  fully  began  that  dreadful  conflict  which 
for  years  was  to  desolate  one  of  the  finest  por 
tions  of  the  globe.  By  it  thousands  lost  their 
lives,  and  tens  of  thousands  were  involved  in 
misery.  But  the  hand  of  oppression  was  be 
ginning  to  bind  down  the  liberties  of  a  grow 
ing  nation — and  through  this  mighty  evil  the 
great  Ruler  of  events  has  brought  forth  the 
present  prosperous  state  of  our  country. 

Congress  assembled  May  10th,  1775.  ley- 
ton  Randolph  was  chosen  president.  Be/ng, 
However,  under  the  necessity  of  returning 
home  in  a  few  days,  John  Hancock  succeeded 
him. 

Resistance  to  the  oppressive  measures  of  the 
British  governmen-t  was  no  longer  a  matter 
of  doubt,  and  while  petitions  were  /joining  in 
from  all  quarters  urging  the  adoptu  a  of  deci 
sive  measures,  Congress  was  dilij,  'iitly  pre 
paring  to  sustain  the  rights  of  thv  colonies. 
When  it  was  determined  to  organiz1."  an  army, 
the  eyes  of  all  were  directed  to  Y  aslnngton 


WASHINGTON.  55 

as  the  commander- in-chief ;  and  on  the  15th 
of  June,  1775,  he  was  unanimously  appointed 
to  that  post.  The  firmness  of  his  temper,  the 
dignity  of  his  manners,  and  the  confidence 
which  was  felt  in  his  integrity  and  patriotism, 
made  this  choice  by  Congress  satisfactory  to 
all  the  people.  When  his  appointment  was 
made  known  to  him,  he  modestly  replied,  "  Mr. 
President,  Though  I  am  truly  sensible  of  the 
honour  done  me  in  this  appointment,  yet  I 
feel  great  distress,  from  a  consciousness  that 
my  abilities  and  military  experience  may  not 
be  equal  to  the  extensive  and  important  trust : 
however,  as  the  Congress  desire  it,  I  will  enter 
upon  the  momentous  duty,  and  exert  every 
power  I  possess  in  their  service,  and  for  the 
support  of  the  glorious  cause.  I  beg  they  will 
accept  my  most  cordial  thanks  for  this  dis 
tinguished  testimony  of  their  approbation. 

"  But  lest  some  unlucky  event  should  hap 
pen  unfavourable  to  my  reputation,  I  beg  it 
may  be  remembered  by  every  gentleman  in 
the  room,  that  I  this  day  declare  with  the  ut 
most  sincerity,  I  do  not  think  myself  equal  to 
the  command  I  am  honoured  with. 

"  As  to  pay,  sir,  I  beg  leave  to  assure  Con 
gress  that  as  no  pecuniary  consideration  could 
have  tempted  me  to  accept  this  arduous  em 
ployment,  at  the  expense  of  my  domestic  ease 
and  happiness,  I  do  not  wish  to  make  any 
profit  from  it.  I  will  keep  an  exact  account 
of  my  expenses.  Those  I  doubt  not  they  will 
discharge,  and  that  is  all  I  desire." 


56  WASHINGTON. 

The  peaceful  enjoyments  of  his  comfort 
able  home  were  to  be  given  up,  but  no  selfish 
desire  of  ease  ever  caused  him  to  shrink 
from  the  performance  of  a  duty  which  was 
to  benefit  others.  It  was  the  wish  of  his 
countrymen  that  he  should  accept  this  im 
portant  part  of  the  arduous  work  they  expect 
ed  to  be  engaged  in ;  and  he  did  so,  with  an 
earnest  desire  not  to  disappoint  their  con 
fidence,  and  an  humble  trust  that  he  should 
have  the  blessing  of  God  on  his  efforts  to 
do  well  for  his  country.  He  would  not 
have  drawn  his  sword  to  gain  the  name  of 
conqueror,  and  he  was  willing  to  bear  that 
of  a  soldier  only  when  by  doing  so,  he  could 
defend  the  helpless,  or  aid  in  obtaining  justice 
for  the  oppressed.  What  he  had  been  to  his 
native  province,  in  his  youth,  he  was  to  be  to 
his  country,  in  the  strength  of  his  manhood.  Be 
ing  a  patriot  in  all  his  feelings,  he  informed  Con 
gress  that  he  would  not  consent  to  receive  any 
compensation  for  his  services,  but  that  he  would 
keep  an  account  of  his  expenses,  which  they 
might  defray.  He  bade  his  family  farewell, 
and  set  off  for  Cambridge,  in  Massachusetts, 
which  was  the  place  appointed  as  the  head 
quarters  of  the  array.  On  the  way  he  received 
from  the  people  constant  proofs  of  the  satis 
faction  which  his  appointment  gave.  In  Mas 
sachusetts  he  was  met  with  affectionate  atten 
tion,  and  was  welcomed  by  the  army  with 


WASHINGTON.  57 

joy.  He  commenced  immediately  the  diffi 
cult  task  of  bringing  the  men  into  proper  or 
der.  Their  hands,  which  had  been  only  used 
to  felling  trees,  striking  the  anvil,  guiding  the 
plough,  or  to  other  peaceful  and  useful  em 
ployments,  could  not  readily  handle  well  a 
musket  or  a  sword.  They  knew  nothing  of 
the  discipline  that  was  needful  to  make  them 
useful  as  soldiers.  They  were  fully  resolved 
to  defend  their  rights,  but  this  spirit  of  freedom 
caused  them  to  wish  to  do  so  in  their  own 
way,  and  as  they  were  not  willing  to  submit 
to  rules  and  directions,  the  patience  of  their 
commander  was  therefore  severely  tried.  He 
had  naturally  a  very  strong  temper,  but  in  his 
boyhood  he  had  determined  to  watch  and  sub 
due  it.  When  any  occurrence  raised  his  an 
ger,  he  resolutely  endeavoured  to  restrain  it, 
and  thus  obeyed  the  Scripture  precept  given 
to  warm  tempers,  "  Be  ye  angry  and  sin  not." 
He  knew  that  he  could  not  command  others 
so  as  to  have  their  respect,  if  by  the  indul 
gence  of  passion  he  proved  that  he  could  not 
command  himself.  In  addition  to  the  difficul 
ty  of  regulating  the  army,  he  had  the  anxiety 
of  knowing  that  they  were  very  scantily  sup 
plied  with  powder  and  arms,  as  there  was 
very  little  powder  in  the  country,  and  the  in 
habitants  of  the  different  provinces  did  not 
wish  to  part  with  what  they  thought  they 
might  want  to  use  for  their  own  particular  de 
fence.  Washington  was  very  anxious  to  con 


58  LIFE    OF 

ceal  this  deficiency  from  the  English  gene 
rals,  and  used  every  means  possible  to  do  so. 
His  army  was  placed  so  as  to  blockade  the 
English  troops,  who  were  stationed  on  Bun 
ker's  hill,  Roxbury  Neck,  and  in  Boston. 
Knowing  as  he  did  the  difficulty  there  would' 
be  in  getting  supplies  for  his  men,  he  wished 
to  make  an  attempt  to  drive  the  enemy  from 
Boston  at  once  ;  but  his  officers,  on  being 
consulted,  were  of  the  opinion  that  the  attempt 
would  not  be  successful,  and  the  two  armies 
continued  in  the  same  situation  for  several 
months. 

As  it  was  known  that  the  English  were  en 
deavouring  to  engage  the  inhabitants  of  Cana 
da,  and  the  Indians,  to  assist  them  in  invading 
the  provinces  from  that  part  of  the  country, 
Congress  sent  troops  there,  who  took  posses 
sion  of  several  forts.  Washington  resolved  to 
send  a  detachment  from  his  army  to  Quebec, 
ind  he  gave  the  command  of  it  to  Colonel  Ar 
nold.  The  orders  given  to  him  were,  to  pass 
through  the  country,  not  as  an  enemy  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Canada,  but  as  friends,  and  to 
check  with  severity  every  attempt  to  injure 
them  ;  and  to  treat  with  respect  their  religious 
ceremonies  :  for,  said  Washington,  "  while 
we  are  contending  for  our  own  liberty,  we 
should  be  very  cautious  of  violating  the  rights 
of  conscience  in  others,  and  should  ever  con 
sider,  with  a  true  Christian  spirit,  that  God 
alone  is  the  judge  of  the  hearts  of  men,  and 


WASHINGTON.  59 

to  him  only  in  this  case  are  they  answerable." 
Arnold  and  his  troops  were  thirty-two  days 
passing  through  a  frightful  wilderness,  with 
out  seeing  a  house  or  a  human  being ;  they 
waded  through  swamps  and  toiled  over  moun 
tains,  and  arrived  at  Quebec  worn  down  with 
fatigue.  Arnold  expected  to  take  Quebec  by 
surprise,  but  information  had  been  given  of 
his  approach,  so  that  he  was  disappointed. 
General  Montgomery,  who  had  taken  Mon 
treal  from  the  English,  marched  to  join  Ar 
nold,  and  then  endeavoured  to  prevail  on  the 
commander  of  Quebec  to  give  it  up  without 
blood  being  shed ;  but  the  officer  he  sent  with 
a  flag  of  truce  was  fired  on,  and  he  then  deter 
mined  on  attacking  the  town.  The  attack 
was  bold  but  not  successful,  and  in  making  it, 
the  brave  Montgomery  lost  his  life.  The 
blockade  of  Quebec  was  continued  for  some 
time  without  effect,  and,  on  hearing  that  an 
English  fleet  had  arrived,  the  American  offi 
cers  concluded  that  it  would  be  vain  to  expect 
success,  and  gave  up  the  siege.  Several  en 
gagements  convinced  the  Americans  that  their 
force  was  not  sufficient  to  accomplish  in  Ca 
nada  what  they  had  expected ;  and  the  officers 
determined  on  retreating  from  it,  before  their 
men  should  be  more  reduced  by  unavailing 
sufferings. 

At  the  time  of  these  occurrences  in  the 
north,  the  southern  provinces  were  not  quiet. 
The  governor  of  Virginia,  assisted  by  ships 


60  LIFE    OF 

of  war,  attempted  to  burn  the  town  of  Hamp 
ton,  but  he  was  prevented  by  the  bravery  of 
the  people.  He  then  collected  his  force  at 
Norfolk.  An  American  regiment  of  regulars, 
and  two  hundred  minute  men,  marched  for 
the  defence  of  that  place  ;  they  were  attacked 
by  the  English,  whom  they  soon  forced  to  re 
treat,  with  the  loss  of  many  of  their  number, 
though  the  Americans  did  not  lose  one  man. 
The  governor  took  refuge  on  board  of  a  ves 
sel  ;  and  on  the  night  of  the  first  of  January, 
1770,  a  heavy  cannonade  was  commenced  on 
the  town  from  the  ships,  and  some  of  the 
troops  landed  and  set  fire  to  the  houses.  As 
the  Americans  did  not  think  that  they  could 
keep  possession  of  Norfolk  against  the  force 
of  an  English  fleet,  they  made  no  efforts  to 
extinguish  the  flames,  but  suffered  them  to 
rage  until  the  town  was  consumed.  After  this 
the  governor  continued  sailing  up  the  rivers 
of  Virginia  for  some  time,  burning  houses  and 
destroying  plantations.  A  number  of  the  in 
habitants  of  the  frontiers  of  the  southern  pro 
vinces,  were  inclined  to  favour  the  English, 
and  formed  themselves  into  companies ;  but 
they  were  met  by  the  provincial  parties,  and 
obliged  to  fly  in  every  direction.  The  gover 
nor  of  North  Carolina  had  gone  aboard  of  a 
ship  of  war  in  the  Cape  Fear  river.  General 
Clinton*  who  was  to  command  the  English  in 
the  south,  arrived  in  North  Carolina,  with  a 
small  force ;  but  he  did  not  think  it  pruden' 


WASHINGTON.  61 

to  use  it  there,  and  determined  on  going  to 
Charleston,  in  South  Carolina.  This  inten 
tion  was  discovered,  and  all  ranks  of  citizens 
began  immediately  to  prepare  for  defence.  A 
new  fort,  afterwards  called  Fort  Moultrie,  in 
honour  of  its  commander,  was  quickly  built 
on  Sullivan's  Island,  which  is  at  the  mouth 
of  the  harbour.  In  the  beginning  of  June, 
the  British  fleet  anchored  off  the  harbour  of 
Charleston.  Some  American  troops  arrived 
from  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  and  they 
were  all  commanded  by  General  Lee.  The 
streets  of  the  city  were  barricaded ;  store 
houses  of  great  value  were  pulled  down,  and 
every  possible  means  for  defence  were  pre 
pared.  The  English  fleet  was  commanded  by 
Sir  Peter  Parker,  and  consisted  of  two  fifty- 
gun  ships,  four  frigates,  and  four  smaller  armed 
vessels.  On  the  28th  of  June,  they  commenced 
firing  on  Fort  Moultrie,  at  about  10  o'clock  in 
the  morning  and  continued  to  do  so  for  three 
hours  ;  but  the  firing  was  returned  from  the 
fort  with  so  much  skill,  that  the  ships  were 
almost  torn  to  pieces,  and  about  9  o'clock, 
with  difficulty  were  moved  off.  The  loss  of 
the  British  in  killed  and  wounded,  exceeded 
two  hundred;  while  that  of  the  Americans 
was  only  ten  killed  and  twenty-two  wounded. 
Thus  did  a  feeble  force  of  375  regulars, 
and  a  few  militia,  in  a  half-finished  ftirt,  crip 
ple  and  drive  off,  with  little  loss  to  themselves 
a  powerful  and  well  commanded  fleet.  Truly 
F 


62  LIFE    OF 

they  had  cause  to  use  the  language  of  the  de 
vout  Asa,  and  say,  "  Lord,  it  is  nothing  with 
thee  to  help,  whether  with  many,  or  with 
them  that  have  no  power."  A  few  days  after 
wards,  all  the  English  troops  who  had  been 
landed,  returned  to  the  vessels,  and  the  whole 
fleet  sailed  away  for  New  York,  and  the  state 
of  South  Carolina  was,  for  that  time,  delivered 
from  the  ravages  of  a  foreign  army. 

This  success,  so  providentially  given  the 
Americans  in  the  south,  encouraged  them 
greatly,  and  cheered  the  anxious  mind  of 
Washington,  when  he  was  distressed  by  the 
unfavourable  accounts  from  the  north.  His 
army  had  been  very  much  changed  during 
the  winter;  many  of  the  men  had  returned 
to  their  homes,  and  new  recruits  had  taken 
their  places  ;  so  that  he  was  constantly  obliged 
to  bear  the  trial  of  patience  in  his  endeavour 
to  have  a  regular  force.  He  was  still  of 
opinion,  that  an  attempt  to  drive  the  enemy 
from  Boston  would  be  successful ;  in  writing 
to  Congress  on  the  subject,  he  said,  "  I  can 
not  help  acknowledging,  that  I  have  many 
disagreeable  sensations  on  account  of  my 
situation ;  for  to  have  the  eyes  of  the  whole 
continent  tixed  on  me,  with  anxious  expecta 
tion  of  hearing  of  some  great  event,  and  to  be 
restrained  in  every  military  operation,  for 
want  of»the  necessary  means  to  carry  it  on, 
is  not  very  pleasing;  especially  as  the  means 
used  to  conceal  my  weakness  from  the  enemy 


WASHINGTON.  63 

conceal  it  also  from  our  friends,  and  add  to 
their  wonder." 

Towards  the  latter  end  of  February,  having 
received  a  fresh  supply  of  powder,  he  re 
solved  on  attempting  to  force  General  Howe 
from  Boston,  and  commenced  an  attack  early 
in  March  ;  a  considerable  detachment  of  Amer- 
cans  took-  possession  of  the  heights  of  Dor 
hester,  and  in  one  night,  though  the  ground 
was  frozen,  raised  works,  which  in  a  great 
degree  covered  them  from  the  shot  of  the 
enemy.  It  wras  then  necessary  for  the  En 
glish,  either  to  drive  the  Americans  from 
those  heights,  or  to  leave  the  town ;  the  for 
mer  was  determined  on,  and  troops  were  put 
on  board  of  the  ships  to  proceed  down  the 
bay  for  that  purpose.  They  were  not,  how 
ever,  allowed  by  "  Him  who  ruleth  the  winds 
and  the  waves,"  to  succeed,  for  they  were 
scattered  by  a  violent  storm,  and  entirely  dis 
abled  from  proceeding  ;  and  before  they  could 
be  ready  again  to  make  the  attempt,  the 
Americans  had  made  their  works  of  defence 
so  strong,  that  it  was  thought  useless  to  try  to 
force  them.  In  expectation  that  most  of  the 
troops  would  be  engaged  in  this  attack,  General 
Washington  had  made  preparations  for  attack 
ing  those  that  remained  in  Boston  ;  but  this 
plan  was  disappointed  by  the  English  general 
determining  on  leaving  it,  when  he -saw  the 
Dorchester  heights  could  not  be  taken.  When 
General  Washington  knew  of  the  intentions 


64  LIFE    OF 

of  General  Howe,  he  thought  it  most  proba 
ble  that  he  would  go  from  Boston  to  New 
York,  and  he  sent  a  large  portion  of  his  army 
there  immediately. 

On  the  17th  of  March,  the  English  entered 
their  ships,  and  soon  the  whole  fleet  sailed ; 
the  rest  of  the  American  army  then  inarched 
to  New  York.  The  recovery  of  Boston  caused 
great  joy.  When  Washington  entered  it,  he 
was  received  by  the  inhabitants  as  their  deli 
verer  from  oppression;  and  in  their  public 
address  to  him,  they  expressed  the  wish,  "  May 
you  still  go  on,  approved  by  Heaven,  and  re 
vered  by  all  good  men."  The  fleet  sailed  to 
Halifax,  and  remained  there  until  June,  and 
then  left  it,  and  early  in  July  landed  the  troops 
on  Staten  Island. 


CHAPTER   III. 

1776—1777. 

WHEN  the  war  commenced,  the  Ameri 
cans  thought  only  of  obtaining  relief  from 
the  oppression  of  unjust  laws ;  but  when 
they  heard  that  the  English  had  hired  fo 
reign  troops  to  assist  in  subduing  them,  and 
had  engaged  the  tomahawk  of  the  Indian 
against  them,  they  began  to  think  of  an 
entire  separation  from  England,  and  of  de- 


WASHINGTON.  63 

elaring  themselves  to  be  an  independent  peo 
pie.  A  few  bold  ones,  at  first,  spoke  of  this  ; 
and  then  it  was  soon  openly  talked  of  through 
out  all  the  provinces.  Several  of  the  provincial 
assemblies  gave  an  opinion  in  favour  of  it,  and 
on  the  7th  of  June,  1776,  it  was  proposed  in 
Congress  by  Richard  Henry  Lee,  and  second 
ed  by  John  Adams.  The  resolution  was  in 
these  words  :  "  Resolved,  that  these  United 
Colonies  are,  and  of  right  ought  to  be,  free 
and  independent  states  ;  and  that  all  political 
connexion  between  them  and  the  state  of  Great 
Britain  is,  and  ought  to  be  totally  dissolved." 
Congress,  at  that  time,  held  their  meetings  in 
the  Stale-House,  at  Philadelphia,  and  the  room 
in  which  they  sat  has  ever  since  been  called 
"  Independence  Hall." 

After  much  serious  deliberation,  the  thir 
teen  Colonies  at  length  agreed,  through  their 
representatives,  to  the  resolution,  and  it  was 
adopted  by  Congress  on  the  2d  of  July.  On 
that 'day,  the  Declaration  of  Independence  wraa 
proposed  by  the  committee  who  had  been  in 
structed  to  prepare  it,*  and,  after  a  debate  of 
three  days,  during  which  several  amendments 

*  The  Declaration  was  written  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  after 
wards  President  of  the  United  States.  The  motion  to  au 
thorixe  the  Declaration  was,  as  we  have  seen,  seconded  by 
Mr.  John  Adams,  who  also  was  afterwards  President.  Both 
of  these  eminent  patriots  died  on  the  fourth  of  July,  1836, 
exactly  half  a  century  from  the  day  on  which  they  put  their 
names  to  the  paper.  [See  appendix  A.] 


F2 


66  LIFE    OF 

were  made,  it  was  agreed  to  on  the  4th  of  July, 
and  signed  by  every  member  then  present, 
excepting  one,  who  thought  that  it  was  too 
soon  to  take  such  a  step.  Among  the  amend 
ments  made  by  Congress  to  the  original  draft 
of  the  declaration,  was  the  inserting  of  the 
words — a  With  a  firm  reliance  on  the  protec 
tion  of  Divine  Providence,"  in  the  last  sen 
tence  declaring  that  "  for  the  support  of  this 
declaration  we  mutually  pledge  to  each  other 
our  lives,  our  fortunes,  and  our  sacred  ho 
nour."  Thus  \ve  see  that  this  distinguished 
body  of  men  were  anxious  to  acknowledge  in 
a  document,  which  is  the  most  important  ir 
the  history  of  our  country,  that  they  were  de 
pendent  on  the  blessing  of  God  for  success  in 
their  undertaking.  This  declaration  was  first 
written  and  signed  on  paper,  but  was  after 
wards  copied  on  parchment,  and  signed  again 
on  the  2d  of  August.  Several  persons  signed 
it  then  who  were  not  members  of  Congress 
on  the  4th  of  July,  and  some,  being  absent  at 
the  time,  did  not  put  their  names  to  it  until 
October.*  There  are  fifty-six  signatures  to  the 
parchment  copy,  which  is  now  kept  in  the 
public  offices  at  Washington.  So  great  is  the 
estimation  in  which  those  persons  are  held 
who  signed  this  paper,  that  an  account  of  the 
life  of  each  of  them  has  been  published,  and 
the  document  is  held  in  the  highest  veneration 
by  every  American.  The  yearly  return  of 
the  important  day  on  which  it  was  signed,  has 
*  See  appendix  (B) 


WASHINGTON.  67 

ever  since  been  hailed  with  gladness.  And  so 
it  should  be  ;  but  not  with  the  riotous  joy 
which  disregards  the  laws  of  God  and  man 
Temperate  and  harmless  recreation  should  be 
mingled  with  grateful  acknowledgments  of  the 
goodness  of  that  all-powerful  and  all-merciful 
Being,  who  gave  us  such  cause  for  gladness 

No  longer  striving  for  the  repeal  of  objec 
tionable  laws,  but  for  their  existence  as  a  na 
tion,  the  people  were  united  and  vigorous,  and 
a  new  impulse  was  felt  throughout  the  STATES, 
now  no  longer  colonies.  All  men  had  now  to 
take  sides,  either  for  or  against  their  country, 
and  the  voice  of  the  people  was  nearly  one  for 
liberty  and  independence. 

About  the  time  at  which  Independence  was 
declared,  the  brother  of  General  Howe  arrived 
at  Staten  Island,  with  a  large  fleet,  and  a  num 
ber  of  troops.  General  Washington  had  made 
every  preparation  in  his  power  for  defending 
New  York  ;  but  was  soon  convinced  that  he 
could  not  prevent  the  English  ships  from  pass 
ing  up  the  Hudson  river.  \Yhile  he  was  thus 
anxiously  engaged,  letters  were  sent  from  the 
commander  of  the  fleet,  addressed  to  the  go- 
ernors  under  the  king ;  requesting  them  to 
make  known  to  the  people  that  he  had  autho- 
-ity  from  the  king  to  grant  pardons  to  all  those 
who  would  return  to  their  duty  ;  and  that 
every  person  who  would  aid  in  persuading 
them  to  do  so,  should  be  rewarded.  General 
Washington  sent  these  papers  immediately  to 


68  LIFE    OF 

Congress,  who  resolved  to  publish  them.  A 
the  same  time,  General  Howe  sent  an  officer 
on  shore,  with  a  flag  of  truce,  and  a  letter  ad 
dressed  to  "  George  Washington,  Esquire." 
He  refused  to  receive  it,  as  he  considered  it 
a  disrespect  to  his  countrymen,  who  had  given 
him  the  title  of  "Commander-in-chief"  of 
their  armies.  Another  letter  was  sent,  direct 
ed  to  George  Washington,  &c.  &c.  &c.,  and 
the  officer  who  brought  it  said  that  the  addi 
tion  of  &c.  &c.  &c.  meant  every  thing  that 
ought  to  follow  the  name.  General  Washing 
ton  said  they  meant  every  thing,  it  was  true, 
but  they  also  might  mean  any  thing  ;  and  he 
should  refuse  to  receive  a  letter  on  public  bu 
siness,  if  it  was  directed  to  him  as  a  private 
person.  The  officer  assured  him  that  no  dis 
respect  was  intended,  and  that  General  Howe 
and  his  brother  had  been  appointed  by  the 
king  of  England  to  "  settle  the  unhappy  dis 
pute  which  had  arisen."  Washington  told 
him  that  he  had  no  power  from  Congress  to  say 
any  thing  on  that  subject;  but,  from  what  he 
could  learn,  it  was  his  opinion  that  Gen.  Howe 
and  his  brother  were  only  to  grant  pardons, 
and  "  those  who  had  committed  no  fault, 
wanted  no  pardon:  the  Americans  were  only 
defending  what  they  considered  their  just 
rights." 

The  English  army  consisted  of  about  twen 
ty-four  thousand  men,  and  was  abundantly 
supplied  with  military  stores,  and  a  numerous 


WASHINGTON.  69 

fleet  was  ready  to  aid  it.  The  American  ar 
my,  of  about  thirteen  thousand  men,  for  three 
different  situations,  was  scantily  furnished 
with  arms  ;  and  Washington,  after  giving  an 
account  of  its  state  to  Congress,  added  : 
"  These  things  are  melancholy,  but  neverthe 
less  true.  I  hope  for  better.  Under  every 
disadvantage,  my  utmost  exertions  shall  be 
employed  to  bring  about  the  great  end  we 
have  in  view.  As  far  as  I  can  judge,  from  the 
apparent  dispositions  of  my  troops,  I  shall 
have  their  support.  The  superiority  of  the 
enemy,  and  the  expected  attack,  do  not  seem 
to  have  affected  their  spirits."  A  part  of  the 
army  was  on  Long  Island,  the  rest  on  York 
and  Governor's  Islands,  and  Paules-hook. 
Washington  earnestly  endeavoured  to  encour 
age  his  troops  ;  he  said,  "  the  time  is  per 
haps  near  at  hand,  which  will  probably  deter 
mine  whether  Americans  are  to  be  freemen. 
The  fate  of  unknown  millions  will  depend, 
under  God,  on  the  courage  and  conduct  of  this 
army.  Let  us  rely  on  the  goodness  of  our 
cause,  and  the  aid  of  the  Supreme  Being,  in 
whose  hands  victory  is,  to  animate  and  en 
courage  us  to  great  and  noble  actions." 

General  Howe  landed  his  troops  on  Long 
Island  on  the  22d  July,  and  the  Americans 
prepared  for  being  attacked  ;  a  detachment  of 
them,  which  had  been  stationed  to  give  notice 
of  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  was  surrounded 
and  seized  ;  and  this  gave  an  opportunity  to 


70  LIFE    OF 

the  English  of  advancing  by  a  way  that  was 
very  favourable  for  their  attack, — which  was 
made  with  so  large  a  force,  and  in  so  many 
different  directions,  that  it  was  not  in  the 
power  of  the  Americans  to  resist  with  success, 
though  they  did  so  with  bravery.  General 
Washington  passed  over  to  Brooklyn,  and 
saw,  with  deep  sorrow,  the  destruction  of  his 
troops.  He  had  no  power  to  aid  them  in  any 
other  way  than  by  his  own  exertions  ;  for  he 
saw,  that  if  he  brought  over  the  rest  of  his 
troops  from  New  York,  the  superior  force  of 
the  enemy  would  overpower  them  all,  and 
thus  the  fate  of  his  country  be  at  once  decided. 
The  English  encamped  in  front  of  the  remain- 
;ng  Americans,  and  Washington  determined 
on  endeavouring  to  save  them  by  withdrawing 
them  from  Long  Island.  He  formed  his  plan, 
and  when  the  night  of  the  twenty-eighth 
came,  under  his  directions,  and  assisted  by 
his  exertions,  all  the  troops  and  military 
stores,  with  a  great  part  of  the  provisions, 
and  all  the  artillery,  were  carried  over  to 
New  York  in  safety.  A  kind  Providence  fa 
voured  the  Americans  with  a  night  so  dark, 
and  a  morning  so  foggy,  that  though  their 
enemies  were  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of 
them,  they  did  not  know  of  the  movement 
they  were  making,  until  they  were  beyond  the 
reach  of  their  guns.  From  the  commencement 
of  the  action,  on  the  morning  of  the  27th  of 
July,  until  the  troops  had  crossed  safely,  on 


WASHINGTON.  71 

he  29th,  their  anxious  commander  had  not 
closed  his  eyes ;  and  was  almost  all  the  time 
on  horseback,  directing  and  aiding  them.  He 
did  not  think  of  his  own  preservation  until  the 
last  boat  was  leaving  the  shore,  and  he  then 
placed  himself  in  it,  with  a  sad  heart. 

This  event  discouraged  the  American  army 
so  much,  that,  as  General  Washington  wrote 
to  Congress,  their  situation  was  *«  truly  dis 
tressing,"  and  he  had  to  suffer  the  pain  of 
seeing  whole  regiments  return  in  despair  to 
their  homes. 

The  first  use  which  General  Howe  made 
of  his  success,  was  to  send  a  message  to  Phi 
ladelphia,  that  though  he  could  not  treat  with 
Congress  as  a  body,  he  had  full  power  to  set 
tle  the  controversy  upon  terms  that  would  be 
very  favourable  ;  and  that  he  would  meet  any 
of  the  members  in  their  private  character,  at 
any  place  they  would  appoint.  Congress  in 
formed  him,  that  being  the  representatives  of  a 
free  and  independent  people,  they  could  not 
send  any  of  thei»  members  to  speak  with  him 
in  their  private  character  ;  but  that,  being  de 
sirous  of  peace,  they  would  send  a  committee 
to  understand  from  him  what  offers  he  was 
permitted  to  make.  Three  members,  Benja 
min  Franklin,  John  Adams,  and  Edward  Rut- 
ledge,  were  appointed  by  Congress  to  visit 
State n  Island,  where  they  were  very  civilly 
received  by  the  English  commander,  but  as 
any  proposal  he  had  to  make  was  only  on 


72  LIFE  or 

condition  of  the  colonies  returning  to  obedi 
ence,  which  was  not  listened  to,  the  matter 
dropped  here. 

From  the  movements  of  the  English  army 
and  fleet,  General  Washington  found  that  it 
was  their  intention  to  surround  New  York, 
and  force  him  into  a  battle.  The  depressed 
state  of  his  army  convinced  him  that  this 
would  be  destructive  to  his  troops,  and  he 
thought  it  would  be  right  to  withdraw  them 
from  New  York.  In  writing  to  Congress  he 
said,  "  On  every  side  there  is  a  choice  of  dif 
ficulties.  *  *  On  our  part  the  war  should  be 
defensive  ;  \ve  should,  on  all  occasions,  avoid 
a  general  action ;  nor  put  any  thing  to  the  risk, 
unless  compelled  by  necessity,  into  which  we 
ought  never  to  be  drawn." 

On  consulting  together,  the  officers  of  the 
army  agreed,  that  it  was  best  to  give  up  New 
York,  and  Washington  employed  himself  ac 
tively  in  removing  the  military  stores  to  a 
place  of  safety.  He  had  urged  the  inhabitants  to 
remove  the  women  and  children  from  it  when 
the  enemy  first  appeared  on  Staten  Island. 

When  the  American  troops  were  withdrawn 
from  New  York,  they  were  stationed  at  Kings- 
bridge,  and  the  enemy  took  possession  of  the 
city  on  the  15th  September.  The  situation 
of  the  American  army  was  then  very  distress 
ing  to  Washington  ;  the  time  for  which  many 
of  the  soldiers  had  agreed  to  serve  was  almost 
spent,  and  he  had  but  a  faint  expectation  tha 


WASHINGTON.  73 

others  would  be  soon  engaged  in  their  places  : 
he  wrote  to  Congress  on  the  subject,  urging 
them  to  make  immediate  endeavours  to  keep 
up  the  army.  He  commenced  his  letter  in 
words  which  show  his  anxiety  and  modest 
faithfulness:  "From  the  hours  allotted  to 
sleep,  I  will  borrow  a  few  moments  to  con 
vey  my  thoughts  on  sundry  important  mat 
ters  to  Congress.  I  shall  offer  them  with  that 
sincerity  which  ought  to  characterize  a  man 
of  candour,  and  with  the  freedom  which  may 
be  used  in  giving  useful  information,  without 
incurring  the  imputation  of  presumption." 
On  receiving  this  long  and  very  serious  letter, 
Congress  resolved  to  attend  to  the  counsel 
which  it  contained,  and  appointed  committees 
to  make  exertions  for  raising  more  troops. 

General  Howe  wished  to  prevent  the  Ame 
rican  army  having  intercourse  with  the  New 
England  states,  and  he  marched  his  troops 
with  an  intention  to  surround  the  principal 
division  of  the  army.  But  General  Washing- 
tpn  was  too  watchful  to  permit  him  to  suc 
ceed  in  doing  so.  Several  actions  were  fought 
by  small  detachments  from  each  army,  but  he 
carefully  avoided  a  general  battle  ;  except  in 
one  instance,  when  he  was  favourably  situated 
on  the  hills,  near  the  White  Plains,  in  the 
state  of  New  York  ;  the  English  General  de 
clined  it  then,  and  changed  his  plans,  and  re 
tired  slowly  down  the  North  river,  to  enter 
New  Jersey.  When  Washington  discovered 
G 


74  LIFE    OF 

his  intention,  he  wrote  to  the  governor  of  that 
state,  to  inform  him  of  it,  and  to  General 
Green,  who  was  placed  there  with  some  Ame 
rican  troops  ;  and  he  requested  them  to  make 
every  preparation  possible  fpr  defence.  He 
then  placed  all  the  troops  that  he  could  spare 
in  the  forts  of  the  Highlands,  in  the  state  of 
New  York ;  and  passed  over  into  New  Jer 
sey  with  his  little  army,  in  the  middle  of  No 
vember.  Cornwallis,  an  English  general,  fol 
lowed  with  a  large  force,  and  Washington 
moved  on  to  New  Brunswick,  where  he 
stopped.  There  he  had  the  mortification  of 
seeing  his  army  made  still  less,  by  the  depar 
ture  of  many  of  the  soldiers  whose  time  had 
expired.  He  again  wrote  to  the  governor  for 
some  aid,  but  he  had  not  the  power  to  give  it. 
He  wrote  urgently  to  General  Lee,  (who 
commanded  the  eastern  troops,)  to  join  him 
as  quickly  as  possible.  This  sad  situation 
brought  into  exercise  all  his  wisdom  and  firm 
ness.  His  army  was  reduced  to  about  three 
thousand  men;  and  they  were  scantily  arm 
ed,  poorly  clad,  and  many  of  them  barefooted. 
The  army  that  pressed  after  them  was  more 
than  double  their  number,  well  armed,  well 
clad  and  fed,  and  in  high  spirits. 

The  contrast  between  the  splendid  appear 
ance  of  the  English,  and  the  sad  and  ragged 
condition  of  the  Americans,  seemed  to  make 
the  triumph  of  the  former  certain. 

Afflicted,  but  not  dismayed,  by  the  cheei 


WASHINGTON  75 

lessness  of  his  prospects,  Washington  did  not 
cease  for  a  moment  to  act  with  animation,  and 
encouraged  his  few  troops  with  expressions 
of  confidence  that  they  should  not  be  deliver 
ed  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies.  He  re 
mained  at  New  Brunswick  until  they  were  in 
sight,  and  then  moved  on  towards  the  Dela 
ware  river,  and  soon  succeeded  in  having  the 
military  stores  and  scanty  baggage  of  his  ar- 
mv  conveyed  across,  and  the  men  who  were 
sick  sent  to  Philadelphia. 

The  citizens  determined  to  give  all  the  aid 
in  their  power  to  Washington,  and  fifteen 
hundred  of  them  marched  immediately  to  join 
him.  He  had  sent  twelve  hundred  men  back 
to  Princeton,  with  the  hope  that  by  thus  ap 
pearing  to  advance  towards  the  enemy,  he 
might  delay  them,  and  give  some  encourage 
ment  to  the  inhabitants  of  New  Jersey.  When 
the  troops  from  Philadelphia  joined  him,  he 
marched  towards  Princeton,  but  heard  that 
Cornwallis  had  received  a  lisrge  addition  to 
his  troops,  and  was  advancing  by  differ 
ent  roads  to  surround  him.  Again  he  was 
obliged  to  retreat,  and  crossed  the  Delaware. 
He  secured  all  the  boats,  and  broke  down  the 
bridges  on  the  roads  along  the  Jersey  shore, 
and  placed  his  army  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
guard,  as  well  as  possible,  all  the  fording 
places. 

As  the  last  of  the  Americans  crossed  the 
river,  the  English  army  appeared.    The  main 


76  LIFE    OF 

purt  of  it  was  at  Trenton,  and  detachments 
above  and  below,  so  as  to  make  it  quite  uncer 
tain  where  they  intended  to  attempt  crossing 
the  river.  Washington  sent  officers  to  Phila 
delphia,  with  directions  to  form  lines  of  de 
fence  there,  and  to  endeavour  to  secure  the 
military  stores.  He  gave  particular  orders  on 
the  8th  of  December,  to  all  the  officers  of  his 
little  army,  to  enable  them  to  know  how  to 
act,  in  case  the  enemy  attempted  to  cross  the 
-iver.  One  of  his  officers  said,  with  despon 
dency,  "  How  far  must  we  go  on  retreating  ?" 
"  To  Virginia,"  said  Washington  ;  "  and,  if 
followed  there,  over  the  Alleghany  Mountains, 
and  try  what  we  can  do  there." 

General  Lee  advanced  slowly  with  his 
troops,  and  imprudently  slept  at  a  distance  of 
three  miles  from  his  army,  in  a  farm  house,  at 
about  twenty  miles  from  the  enemy.  Inform 
ation  of  this  was  given,  and  an  English  officer 
sent  a  company  well  mounted,  who  reached 
the  farm  house  and  surrounded  it  before  Gen 
eral  Lee  had  left  it ;  he  was  carried  to  the 
English  army,  and  considered  as  a  deserter 
from  the  British  service.  General  Sullivan, 
the  next  in  command  to  Lee,  immediately 
hastened  the  march  of  the  troops,  and  soon 
joined  General  Washington. 

All  the  attempts  of  the  English  to  get  boats 
to  cross  the  river  failed,  and  their  general  de 
termined  to  place  them  in  quarters  for  the  win 
ter.  which  had  commenced.  Some  were 


WASHINGTON.  77 

placed  in  Princeton,  and  the  rest  at  the  prin 
cipal  towns  of  that  part  of  New  Jersey. 

Washington  thought  that  it  was  not  proba 
ble  Cornwallis  would  remain  in  winter  shelter 
longer  than  until  the  ice  should  be  strong 
enough  for  his  troops  to  cross  it,  and  he  em 
ployed  his  anxious  and  active  mind  in  reflect 
ing  on  some  plan  for  stopping  the  success  of 
the  foes  of  his  country.  While  they  were 
comfortably  housed,  the  Americans  were  ex 
posed  to  the  wintry  blasts  ;  for  not  many 
could  be  sheltered  in  farm  houses  near  enough 
to  each  other;  and  those  who  could  not,  made 
the  frozen  ground  their  bed  and  their  knap 
sacks  their  pillows.  No  doubt  many  who  thus 
lay,  offered  fervent  and  humble  prayers  to 
God,  who  suits  his  mercies  to  the  necessities 
of  all  who  honour  him  ;  and  beneath  the  care 
which  he  has  promised  to  those  who  put  their 
trust  in  him,  they  slept  soundly,  though  they 
were  unsheltered. 

When  General  Washington  reflected  on  the 
dispersed  situation  of  the  English  troops,  he 
said,  "  Now  is  the  time  to  clip  their  wings, 
when  they  are  so  spread."  For  this  purpose 
he  formed  a  bold  plan.  He  separated  his  ar 
my  into  three  divisions.  One,  consisting  of 
about  two  thousand  four  hundred  men,  com 
manded  by  himself,  was  to  cross  the  Dela 
ware,  at  M'Konky's  Ferry,  about  nine  miles 
above  Trenton,  and  then  to  march  down  in 
two  divisions  ;  one  taking  the  river  road,  and 
o2 


?  LIFE    OF 

»he  other  the  Pennington  road,  both  of  which 
led  into  the  town ;  the  one  at  the  west  end, 
and  the  other  towards  the  north.  The  second 
division  of  the  army,  commanded  by  General 
Irvine,  was  to  cross  at  Trenton  Ferry,  and 
secure  the  bridge  below  the  town,  so  as  to 
prevent  the  enemy  from  escaping  by  that  way. 
The  third,  commanded  by  General  Cadwala- 
der,  was  to  cross  at  Bristol,  and  make  an  at 
tack  on  the  troops  posted  at  Burlington. 

Christmas  night  was  appointed  for  the  dif 
ferent  divisions  to  cross  the  river.  As  the 
night  approached,  a  driving  sleet  fell,  and  the 
cold  became  severe.  Washington,  with  the 
division  which  he  commanded,  was  the  greater 
part  of  the  night  struggling  amidst  the  ice, 
which  was  driven  in  fearful  wildness  ;  rain 
and  snow  fell  in  a  mingled  shower,  and  it  was 
four  o'clock,  on  the  morning  of  the  26th,  be 
fore  they  succeeded  in  reaching  the  New  Jer 
sey  shore.  One  division  then  marched,  as 
had  been  planned,  by  the  river  road,  and  the 
other  by  the  Pennington  road.  Washington 
arrived  at  Trenton  exactly  at  eight  o'clock, 
and  drove  in  the  outguards  of  the  enemy,  and 
in  three  minutes  he  heard  the  other  division 
doing  the  same. 

Colonel  Rawle,  the  English  commander, 
paraded  his  troops  to  meet  the  Americans,  but 
he  was  soon  mortally  wounded,  and  his 
troops  then  attempted  to  move  off.  Wash 
ington  sent  a  detachment  to  meet  them  as  they 


WASHINGTON.  79 

were  retreating,  and  the  enemy  finding1  them 
selves  surrounded,  laid  down  their  arras. 

The  divisions  of  the  American  army  which 
were  commanded  by  Generals  Irvine  and 
Cadwalader,  had  not  been  able  to  cross  the  ri 
ver  amid  the  driving  ice  ;  and  as  that  part  of 
the  plan  which  they  were  to  perform  failed, 
Washington  concluded  it  would  not  he  pru 
dent  to  remain  with  his  small  force  where  he 
should  probably  be  soon  attacked  by  the  col 
lected  force  of  his  enemies ;  he  therefore  re- 
crossed  the  Delaware  with  his  prisoners,  and 
military  stores  that  he  had  taken.  One  thou 
sand  was  the  number  of  the  prisoners.  Two 
American  soldiers  had  been  killed,  and  two  or 
three  wounded,  and  one  officer. 

This  bold  and  successful  attack  occasioned 
great  astonishment  to  the  English  army,  as 
they  had  believed  the  Americans  to  be  in  a 
state  too  feeble  to  attempt  resistance,  even 
when  it  should  suit  their  enemies  to  leave 
their  comfortable  quarters  to  attack  them. 

Cornwallis  had  gone  to  New  York,  but  he 
returned  immediately  to  New  Jersey,  with 
more  troops,  to  regain  the  ground  which  had 
been  thus  unexpectedly  taken  from  him.  The 
officer  who  commanded  at  Burlington,  march 
ed  his  troops  to  Princeton,  and  the  division 
of  the  American  army  which  was  opposite, 
crossed  over  and  took  possession  of  Burling 
ton. 

Washington  resolved  not  to  remain  idle, 


80  LIFE    OF 

and  he  passed  again  over  to  Trenton,  to  en 
deavour  to  recover  at  least  a  part  of  New  Jer 
sey.  The  English  collected  in  full  force  at 
Princeton,  and  formed  there  some  works  of 
defence.  Washington  collected  all  his  troops 
together  at  Trenton,  and  the  next  day  the  En 
glish  army  approached  it.  He  then  crossed 
the  Assumpinck  creek,  which  runs  through 
the  town,  and  drew  up  his  army  beside  it. 
The  enemy  attempted  to  cross  it,  but  were 
prevented,  and  they  halted  and  kindled  their 
night  fires. 

The  situation  of  Washington  was  a  very 
dangerous  one.  If  he  remained  as  he  was,  he 
was  almost  sure  of  being  attacked,  at  the 
dawn  of  day,  by  a  force  far  superior  to  his 
own ;  and  he  thought  that  the  destruction  of 
his  little  army  must  be  the  consequence.  To 
pass  the  Delaware  was  almost  impossible, 
from  the  state  it  was  in,  with  masses  of  drift 
ing  ice.  Wisdom  to  plan,  and  strength  to  act, 
were  given  to  him  by  the  mighty  God  of 
armies. 

The  night  fires  of  the  English  burned 
brightly,  and  Washington  directed  his  troops 
to  light  their  fires  along  the  edge  of  the  creek. 
The  bright  close  blaze  became  as  a  screening- 
cloud  between  their  enemies  and  them,  while 
it  was  as  a  pillar  of  fire  to  light  them  in  the 
silent  preparations  which  their  commander 
directed  them  to  make  for  moving  away. 
•  That  important  night  was  particularly 


WASHINGTON.  81 

marked  by  the  favour  of  Divine  Providence ; 
and  in  after  years,  many  a  pious  father,  seated 
in  his  comfortable  home,  and  surrounded  by 
the  children  for  whose  rights  he  had  chat 
night  been  struggling,  delighted,  with  devout 
thankfulness,  to  tell  them,  how  the  clouds 
and  the  winds  were  commanded  by  their 
great  Ruler,  to  aid  a  people  struggling  foi 
their  liberty. 

Several  days  of  soft  weather  had  made  the 
roads  vdry  deep  ;  a  light  rain  had  been  falling, 
but  suddenly  the  clouds  were  driven  off  by  a 
strong  west  wind,  which  was  so  cold  that 
the  roads  were  frozen  by  it,  and  became  like 
a  pavement,  over  which  Washington  and  his 
little  army  moved  in  silence,  towards  Prince 
ton,  and  arrived  within  a  short  distance  of  it, 
early  in  the  morning. 

Three  British  regiments  had  encamped  at 
Princeton  the  preceding  night.  A  small  party, 
at  the  distance  of  more  than  a  mile,  discovered 
the  arms  of  the  Americans  glittering  in  the 
oeams  of  the  rising  sun ;  they  immediately 
returned  to  their  camp,  gave  the  alarm,  and 
prevented  a  complete  surprise.  The  British 
advanced  towards  the  Americans,  and  attacked 
the  militia,  who  were  in  front ;  they  gave  way, 
and  General  Mercer,  a  very  valuable  officer 
from  Virginia,  was  killed  while  he  was  en- 
leavouring  to  rally  the  broken  troops.  Wash 
ington  feeling  assured  that  a  defeat  then  would 
be  ruinous  to  the  interest  of  his  country,  rode 


82  LIFE    OF 

forward  with  speed,  placed  himself  between 
the  enemy  and  his  own  troops,  and  by  his 
commands  and  example  restored  them  to  or 
der.  He  was  between  the  fires  of  the  two 
armies,  but  the  protecting-  shield  of  his  Crea 
tor  was  again  on  every  side,  to  preserve  him 
from  the  weapons  of  destruction.  He  entered 
Princeton,  and  after  a  short  action,  took  pos 
session  of  it,  and  secured  three  hundred  pri 
soners.  A  part  of  the  British  troops  took 
refuge  in  the  College,  but  were  soon  forced  to 
surrender  by  the  fire  of  the  Americans.  ' 

After  the  action,  a  militia  officer,  (who 
never  turned  away  from  the  complaints  of  a 
suffering  fellow-being,  whether  friend  or  foe,) 
in  passing  where  some  dead  bodies  were 
stretched,  heard  a  moan ;  he  stopped  to  listen, 
and  in  a  few  moments  discovered  the  wounded 
sufferer  who  uttered  it.  He  raised  him  ten 
derly  in  his  arms,  and  asked  if  he  could  re 
lieve  him ;  the  wounded  man,  faintly  said, 
"  No,  it  is  too  late,"  and  then  made  an  effort 
to  speak  his  own  name,  and  that  of  an  English 
officer,  and  added,  "  Take  my  watch,  and 
send  it  to  him  ;  take  my  razor  from  my  knap 
sack,  and  keep  it,  as  the  gift  of  a  grateful, 
dying  man."  His  eyes  closed  in  death,  and 
nis  request  was  faithfully  performed.  His  gift 
was  kept  with  care,  and  in  after  days,  shown 
by  its  owner,  with  a  satisfactory  recollection 
of  the  confidence  of  a  dying  enemy. 

The  same  officer,  in  writing  to  his  family 


WASHINGTON.  83 

an  account  of  the  battle  at  Princeton,  said, 
4 1  would  wish  to  say  a  few  words  respecting 
.he  actions  of  that  truly  great  man,  General 
Washington,  but  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  con 
vey  any  just  ideas  of  him.  I  shall  never  for 
get  what  I  felt  when  I  saw  him  brave  all  the 
dangers  of  the  field,  his  important  life  hang 
ing  as  it  were  by  a  single  hair,  with  a  thou 
sand  deaths  flying  around  him.  I  thought 
not  of  myself.  He  is  surely  Heaven's  pecu 
liar  care." 

The  British  troops  at  Trenton  were  under 
arms,  and  about  to  attack  the  Americans  by 
the  light  of  the  dawn  ;  but  when  it  came,  they 
discovered  that  the  whole  force,  with  their 
baggage  and  stores,  had  withdrawn;  and  they 
soon  heard  the  sound  of  their  cannon  at 
Princeton,  which,  though  in  the  midst  of  win 
ter,  they  supposed  to  be  thunder. 

Again  was  Washington  surrounded  with 
perplexing  perils.  His  wearied  troops  had 
been  one  night,  and  some  of  them  two,  with 
out  sleep.  The  march  had  been  fatiguing 
and  painful  to  the  soldiers,  whose  bare  feel 
left  traces  of  blood  to  mark  their  path,  ana 
the  cold  was  piercing  to  those  who  wen? 
thinly  clad.  Fearing  an  attack  in  this  condi 
tion  from  the  English  army,  which  was  si 
much  larger,  and  not  wearied  by  fatiguing 
marches  and  loss  of  rest,  he  gave  up  his  plai 
of  going  to  New-Brunswick;  and  breaking 
down  all  the  bridges  over  the  creeks  between 


94  LIFE    OF 

that  place  and  Princeton,  he  moved  to  Pluck- 
emin,  where  his  troops  rested.  Cornwallis. 
alarmed  by  the  events  at  Trenton  and  Prince 
ton,  marched  to  New-Brunswick,  and  began 
to  move  his  military  stores  to  a  place  of 
greater  safety. 

The  suffering  state  of  the  Americans  from 
want  of  tents,  clothes,  and  blankets,  induced 
their  commander  to  determine  on  putting  them 
under  shelter  for  the  rest  of  the  winter ;  and 
he  marched  for  this  purpose  to  Morristown. 

The  ranks  of  the  American  army  had  often 
been  thinned  by  that  dreadful  disease,  the 
small  pox.  The  blessing  of  vaccination  was 
not  then  known;  and  inoculation  had  seldom 
been  practised  in  this  country.  General  Wash 
ington  formed  the  bold,  but  judicious  resolu 
tion,  of  having  every  officer  and  soldier  who 
had  not  had  the  disease,  inoculated.  This 
was  done  very  successfully,  and  the  troops 
being  undisturbed  during  the  progress  of  the 
complaint,  recovered  under  the  care  of  Him 
who  -healeth  all  our  diseases. 

The  unexpected  and  successful  attacks 
made  at  Trenton  and  Princeton,  by  an  army 
that  was  thought  to  be  conquered,  saved  Phi 
ladelphia  for  that  winter;  and  revived  the 
spirits  of  the  Americans  so  much,  that  the 
difficulty  of  raising  troops  for  the  next  season, 
Was  lessened  in  all  the  states. 

In  compliance  with  the  advice  of  Wash 
ington,  Congress  had  resolved  to  enlist  sot 


WASHINGTON.  85 

diers  who  would  consent  to  serve  while  the 
war  continued.  This  was  very  satisfactoiy 
to  him  ;  as  he  had  suffered  much  from  the 
short  enlistments,  by  which  his  army  had 
often  been  reduced  when  he  most  needed  a 
strong  for^e.  When  the  American  army  had 
retreated  through  New-Jersey,  the  inhabitants 
were  so  sure  of  its  destruction,  that  they 
thought  it  would  be  useless  to  make  any  at 
tempt  to  defend  themselves  ;  but  after  the  suc 
cessful  engagements  at  Trenton  and  Prince 
ton,  they  were  so  cheered,  that  they  collected 
in  large  companies,  and  the  militia  became 
very  active  in  assisting  to  confine  the  English 
to  Amboy  and  New-Brunswick,  where  they 
were  stationed  when  Washington  led  his  army 
to  Morristown. 

Through  this  period  of  universal  depression, 
Congress  had  acted  with  firmness,  and  an  un 
changed  resolution  to  trust  the  event  of  the 
contest  to  Divine  Providence,  and  adhere  to 
the  Independence  they  had  declared.  Sup 
posing  that  the  enemy  would  advance  to  Phi 
ladelphia,  they  removed  to  Baltimore,  and 
made  efforts  to  encourage  their  countrymen, 
and  lead  them  to  persist  in  what  seemed  to  be 
an  almost  hopeless  cause.  They  advised  each 
state  to  appoint  a  day  of  humiliation  and 
prayer,  to  implore  God  to  forgive  their  sins 
as  a  people,  and  assist  them  by  his  favour  in 
their  day  of  trouble.  And  they  soon  had 
reason  to  praise  him  for  giving  them  cause  to 
H 


80  LIFE    OF 

feel,  that  "  though  cast  down,"  they  were 
"  noi  forsaken."  During  that  season  of  deep 
est  gloom  which  had  overspread  the  United 
States,  when  the  hearts  of  all  were  tried,  he 
who  bore  the  greatest  responsibility,  felt  most 
keenly  for  the  fate  of  his  country.  The 
late  Governor  Brooks,  of  Massachusetts,  then 
an  Aid  to  Washington,  came  to  him  from  a 
tour  of  duty,  in  his  own  state.  He  found  the 
General  deeply  affected,  and  as  he  talked  of 
the  condition  of  his  troops,  and  the  wrongs  of 
his  country,  he  shed  tears  of  grief.  "  Sir," 
said  he,  "  my  only  hope  is  in  God.  Go  back 
to  Massachusetts,  and  do  what  you  can  to 
raise  men  and  money."  Thus  felt  and  spoke 
the  man,  whom  nations  admire,  and  who  was 
sensible  that  there  is  a  God  in  heaven,  who 
rules  not  there  alone,  but  also  among  the 
children  of  men.  •  His  confidence  was  not  in 
vain.  From  the  midst  of  darkness  came  a 
light  that  cheered  the  hearts  of  his  country 
men,  and  the  drooping  spirits  of  the  nation 
were  revived. 

While  the  Americans  were  in  Morristown, 
their  number  was  so  small,  that  it  was  diffi 
cult  for  Washington  to  keep  up  the  appearance 
of  an  army  ;  but  he  sent  out  small  detach 
ments  to  show  themselves  in  different  direc 
tions  ;  and  with  the  assistance  of  the  New 
Jersey  militia,  succeeded  in  keeping  the  ene 
my  from  again  overspreading  the  country. 
As  the  spring  advanced,  and  new  troops  were 


WASHINGTON.  87 

raised,  there  was  a  difficulty  in  assembling 
them  as  the  commander-in-chief  wished ;  for 
the  English  had  possession  of  the  ocean,  and 
so  could  attack  any  state  in  the  union  ;  and 
each  one  desired  to  be  defended.  This  could 
not  be  done,  without  separating  the  troops 
into  small  divisions,  and  placing  them  distant 
from  each  other.  Washington  possessed  that 
solid  judgment  which  makes  the  best  use  of 
small  means  ;  and  he  determined  to  prepare 
in  the  surest  manner  that  could  be  effected 
for  defending  the  eastern  states,  the  highlands 
of  New  York,  where  it  was  very  important  to 
preserve  the  forts,  and  Philadelphia,  which 
seemed  to  be  the  object  of  Cornwallis.  When 
he  had  placed  troops  for  this  purpose,  he 
formed  his  own  camp  at  Middlebrook,  in 
New  Jersey,  with  not  quite  six  thousand  men. 
Early  in  June,  the  English  army  was  in 
creased  by  troops  from  New  York,  and  the 
commander  moved  them  in  different  directions, 
for  the  purpose  of  drawing  Washington  from 
his  camp  to  a  battle;  but  he  was  too  wise  to 
be  led  into  danger,  which  would  have  been 
almost  certain  destruction  to  his  small  army. 
He  continued  watching  the  movements  of  the 
enemy  with  anxiety.  Sometimes  they  ap 
peared  as  if  intending  to  go  to  the  north,  and 
then  moved  towards  the  south.  Washington 
kept  his  troops  posted  on  the  heights,  in  front 
of  his  camp,  always  ready  in  case  of  an  at 
tack.  He  wrote  to  General  Arnold  his  opin- 


88  LIFE    OF 

ion,  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the  em  my  to 
destroy  his  army,  and  get  possession  of  Phi 
ladelphia,  but  that  he  would  endeavour  to 
prevent  the  first  part  of  the  plan  being  suc 
cessful  ;  and  if  they  moved  towards  Phila 
delphia,  he  would  be  close  after  them  to  do 
every  thing  in  his  power  to  delay  them. 

The  English  commander,  finding  that  he 
could  not  draw  Washington  from  his  camp, 
determined  on  removing  to  New  Jersey,  and 
taking  them  on  board  of  the  fleet  to  the  Chesa 
peake  or  Delaware.  Washington  took  advan 
tage  of  this,  and  moved  his  army  for  the  pur 
pose  of  following  the  enemy  cautiously.  They 
had  passed  over  to  Staten  Island,  but  their 
commander  suddenly  resolved  on  returning  to 
endeavour  to  get  possession  of  the  situation 
Washington  had  left,  who  immediately  moved 
back,  and  prevented  the  success  of  this  plan. 
The  whole  English  army  then  crossed  to  Sta 
ten  Island,  and  entered  the  fleet. 

At  that  time,  an  English  general  named 
Prescot,  commanded  troops  on  Rhode  Island  ; 
a  militia  officer,  named  Barton,  with  a  small 
party,  passed  ten  miles  by  water  without 
being  observed  by  the  ships  of  war  ;  and  then 
landed  within  a  mile  of  the  place  where  they 
knew  General  Prescot  slept.  They  quietly 
seized  the  guards,  and  took  the  general  from 
his  bed,  and  conveyed  him  in  safety  to  their 
own  quarters.  The  success  of  this  bold  at 
tempt  gave  great  joy ;  because  it  was  expected 


WASHINGTON. 


89 


that  the  English  would  consent  to  give  up 
General  Lee  for  General  Prescot. 

On  receiving  an  account  that  the  English 
fleet  had  sailed  from  New  York,  the  American 
army  was  moved  towards  Philadelphia. 

The  English  had  a  large  force  at  Quebec, 
commanded  by  General  Burgoyne.  Sir  Wil 
liam  Howe  wrote  to  him,  that  though  he 
seemed  to  be  moving  towards  the  south,  it 
was  his  intention  to  turn  towards  Boston, 
which  he  meant  to  attack,  assisted  by  Bur- 
goyne's  troops.  This  letter  was  given  to  Gen. 
Putnam,  by  a  man  who  said  he  had  been  di 
rected  to  take  it  to  Quebec.  Putnam  sent  it 
immediately  to  General  Washington.  When 
he  read  the  letter,  he  said  he  was  certain  it 
was  written  with  the  intention  that  it  should 
fall  into  his  hands  to  deceive  him ;  and  it  con 
vinced  him  that  the  enemy  would  soon  be  near 
to  Philadelphia ;  but'knowing  that  the  Ame 
rican  army  in  the  north  was  a  feeble  one,  he 
proved  the  patriotism  of  his  feelings  by  lessen 
ing  his  own  force  to  assist  them.  The  real 
advantage  of  his  countrymen,  and  not  the  ac 
quirement  of  fame  for  himself,  was  the  mo 
tive  which  always  ruled  his  actions  as  an  offi 
cer. 

He  called  out  the  militia  of  Maryland, 
Pennsylvania,  and  the  northern  part  of  Virgi 
nia,  and  then  marched  with  his  own  troops 
towards  the  head  of  Elk  river,  in  Maryland. 

A  militia  officer,  in  writing  to  his  family  an 


90  LIFE    OF 

account  of  the  appearance  of  the  army  as  it 
passed  through  Philadelphia,  said,  "As  Wash 
ington,  the  most  dignified  and  respectable  of 
mortals,  marching  at  the  head  of  the  American 
army,  passed,  the  tories  hid  their  heads  and 
trembled,  whilst  the  friends  of  freedom  appear 
ed  on  each  side  of  the  streets,  and  bowed  with 
gratitude  and  respect  to  the  great  man ;  and 
were  I  to  judge  of  his  feelings,  I  think  he 
would  not  have  exchanged  his  situation  for 
all  that  kings  in  their  profusion  could  be 
stow." 

As  Washington  advanced  towards  Elk  ri 
ver,  he  heard  that  the  enemy  were  landing, 
whose  whole  force  consisted  of  about  eighteen 
thousand  men,  in  good  health,  high  spirits,  and 
well  trained.  Washington's  force  was  about 
eleven  thousand,  and  not  all  of  these  were 
supplied  with  arms. 

He  was  desirous  to  place  his  army  in  the 
most  favourable  situation  for  meeting  their 
powerful  foes,  and  he  moved  to  the  Brandy- 
wine  Creek,  in  the  state  of  Delaware,  and  took 
possession  of  the  high  grounds,  extending 
southward  from  Chad's  Ford.  He  knew  that 
Philadelphia  could  not  be  saved  without  a  suc 
cessful  battle ;  and  that  Congress,  and  the 
people  generally,  expected  that  he  would  not 
give  it  up  without  an  attempt  to  prevent  the 
enemy  from  possessing  it.  In  making  his  pre 
parations  for  an  attack,  he  was  deceived  by  a 
false  account  of  the  number  of  the  enemy-  and 


WASHINGTON.  91 

of  their  movements  as  they  were  advancing1, 
and  was  therefore  disappointed  in  the  most 
important  part  of  the  plan  he  had  formed  for 
meeting  them.  When  they  drew  near,  he 
used  great  efforts  to  encourage  his  troops,  and 
on  the  llth  of  September  an  action  com 
menced,  which  was  very  severe.  Sir  William 
Howe  was  successful  in  driving  the  Ameri 
cans  from  the  ground,  but  they  were  not  too 
much  discouraged  to  risk  another  action  for 
the  safety  of  Philadelphia. 

Washington  allowed  them  one  day  for  rest, 
and  then  marched  on  the  Lancaster  road,  to  a 
spot  near  the  Warren  Tavern,  about  twenty- 
three  miles  from  Philadelphia.  In  a  few  hours 
he  heard  that  the  enemy  were  approaching, 
and  he  prepared  to  meet  them.  The  dreadful 
work  of  destruction  was  commencing,  when  a 
powerful  rain  began  to  fall,  and  became  so 
violent  that  the  arms  of  the  Americans  were 
soon  unfit  for  use  ;  a  retreat  was  absolutely 
necessary,  and  as  Washington  was  convinced 
that  his  army  was  not  in  a  state  to  gain  suc 
cess  in  an  action,  he  determined  to  avoid  be 
ing  attacked.  He  directed  that  all  the  military 
stores  in  the  city  should  be  removed  to  a  place 
of  safety,  so  that  very  little  public  property 
might  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  who, 
headed  by  Cornwallis,  entered  Philadelphia 
on  the  26th  of  September. 

Congress  separated  on  the  18th  Septem 
ber,  and  met  at  Lancaster,  in  Pennsylvania 


92  LIFE  OF 

on  the  27th.  Washington  focrk  a  position  be 
yond  Germantown,  that  lie  might  attack  the 
British  troops  posted  at  that  village.  On  the 
30th  October  an  assault  was  made,  but  a  heavy 
fog  and  darkness  caused  mistakes  in  the 
movements  of  the  troops,  and  a  skilful  retreat 
was  all  that  the  commander  could  effect,  and 
for  his  management  of  this,  he  received  the 
thanks  of  Congress.  The  chief  point  of  con 
test  was  at  Chew's  house,  in  the  upper  part 
of  Germantown,  which  still  bears  the  marks 
of  the  battle. 

The  news  of  this  attack  on  the  enemy,  al 
though  unsuccessful,  made  a  great  impression 
in  our  favour  in  Europe,  and  military  men  be 
gan  to  believe  that  such  skill  and  valour  would 
be  finally  successful.  The  loss  of  Ameri 
can  soldiers  and  officers  was  much  greater 
than  that  of  the  British,  but  they  lost  also 
some  valuable  officers.  One  of  these  was  at 
tended  in  a  house  in  Germantown,  by  a  fe 
male,  who  endeavoured  to  give  some  relief  to 
his  sufferings ;  but  he  felt  that  all  human  aid 
was  vain,  and  said,  "  Woman  pray  for  me ." 
Thus  in  that  hour,  when  the  soul  feels  what 
it  truly  is,  and  that  soon  it  must  be  in  the  pre 
sence  of  its  holy  Creator  and  just  Judge,  the 
duty  and  the  value  of  prayer  is  owned;  and  on 
almost  every  bed  of  death  is  fulfilled  the  words 
of  Scripture,  "  O  Thou  that  hearest  prayer, 
unto  Thee  shall  all  flesh  come." 

Soon  after  the  battle  of  Germantown,  Sii 


WASHINGTON.  93 

William  Howe  drew  all  his  troops  into  Phila 
delphia,  to  employ  them  in  removing  the  ob 
structions  which  had  been  placed  in  the  De 
laware  river,  to  prevent  his  ships  from  pass 
ing  up  to  the  city.  Washington  had  placed 
troops  in  Fort  Mifflin,  on  Mud  Island,  and  in 
a  redoubt  a  few  miles  from  Philadelphia,  at 
Red  Bank,  a  high  bluff,  so  called  from  the  co 
lour  of  the  sand  on  it.  Count  Donop,  a  Ger 
man  officer,  was  sent  with  a  detachment  of 
Hessians  of  about  twelve  hundred  men,  to  at 
tack  the  fort  at  Red  Bank,  which  was  com 
manded  by  Colonel  Greene.  On  the  evening 
of  the  22d  of  October,  Donop  appeared  before 
the  fort ;  Greene,  with  his  garrison  of  five 
hundred  men,  received  him  bravely ;  and  the 
assault  and  defence  were  both  spirited  and  ob 
stinate.  Donop  was  killed,  and  the  second  in 
command,  Colonel  Wingerode,  fell  at  the 
same  time  ;  the  oldest  remaining  officer  then 
drew  off  his  troops,  and  returned  to  Philadel 
phia.  The  loss  of  the  assailants  was  four 
hundred,  and  of  the  defenders,  thirty-two  kill 
ed  and  wounded.  A  continued  struggle  was 
kept  up  for  more  than  six  weeks,  to  prevent 
the  English  in  Philadelphia  having  free  com 
munication  with  their  fleet,  but  at  length  they 
succeeded. 

Several  officers  had  been  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Brandywine,  and  among  these  was 
the  marquis  Lafayette.  This  generous  stran 
ger  was  early  called  to  bleed  in  that  cause  for 


94  LIFE    OF 

which  he  had  ventured  his  all.  He  had  left 
France,  his  native  land,  and  come  to  America 
to  risk  his  life  and  spend  his  fortune  in  the 
cause  of  liberty.  He  was  only  nineteen  years 
of  age,  when  he  gave  up  a  gay  scene  of  youth 
ful  pleasures  to  enter  on  one  of  dangerous 
toils.  The  American  commissioners  who 
were  in  France  honestly  told  him  of  the  de 
pressed  state  of  the  American  army,  and  of 
the  sufferings  that  he  would  be  exposed  to. 
This  did  not  change,  but  fixed  his  generous  in 
tention,  and  he  hastened  his  preparations  to 
cross  the  ocean,  and  make  known  to  Congress 
his  purpose,  and  arrived  in  Charleston  early 
in  the  year  1777.  They  welcomed  with  re 
spect  this  brave  friend  of  their  country,  and 
gave  him  the  commission  of  a  major-general 
in  their  army;  a  title  which  he  has  ever  since 
preferred  to  that  of  marquis.  His  disinterested 
conduct,  and  amiable  character,  made  Wash 
ington  his  friend  ;  and  he  could  not  know  and 
be  near  to  Wasnmgton  without  becoming  at 
tached  to  him.  Their  friendship  was  sincere, 
warm,  and  steady. 

Thus,  in  his  first  visit  to  our  country,  La 
fayette  was  welcomed  as  a  friend  to  the  cause 
of  liberty;  and  his  determination  to  share  in 
the  toils  and  dangers  of  the  Americans,  in 
their  struggle  to  obtain  it,  was  as  lasting  as  it 
was  ardent,  and  not  like  the  bright  morning 
cloud  which  soon  passes  away.  And  when, 
in  August  of  the  year  1824,  he  again  visited 


WASHINGTON.  95 

our  country,  to  behold  the  prosperity  with 
which  the  God  of  nations  has  blessed  it,  the 
joyful  and  grateful  manner  in  which  he  was 
received  throughout  the  United  States,  proved 
that  Americans  had  not  forgotten  his  generous 
services.  Old  soldiers  grasped  his  friendly 
hand  with  a  welcome  of  affectionate  gladness ; 
children,  in  thousands,  pressed  around  him  to 
share  the  kind  notice  of  his  eye ;  and  all  the 
people  were  of  one  mind  in  desiring  to  show 
him  some  mark  of  grateful  respect.  In  ac 
cordance  with  this  general  feeling,  Congress 
bestowed  on  him  a  tract  of  land  constituting  a 
township  in  the  state  of  Alabama,  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  in  money.  They  invited  him 
to  make  the  United  States  his  home,  but  his 
own  country  was  still  under  an  oppressive  go 
vernment,  and  he  returned  to  promote  the 
cause  of  liberty  there.  His  conduct  in  the 
revolution  of  1830,  when  Charles  X.,  King  of 
France,  was  driven  from  the  throne  and  coun 
try,  contributed  greatly  to  restrain  the  violence 
of  the  people,  and  to  avert  the  horrors  ot  a 
civil  war. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

1777. 

WHILE  Washington  kept  up  the  contest  111 
the  middle  states,  very  interesting  events  were 
passing  in  the  northern  states. 

A  plan  had  been  formed  by  the  British  go- 


96  LIFE    OF 

vernment,  for  sending  an  army  to  pass  from 
Canada  to  the  Hudson  river,  by  the  way  of 
the  lakes,  and  to  take  possession  of  all  the 
American  forts.  General  Burgoyne  had  the 
command  of  this  army,  and  he  engaged  seve 
ral  Indian  warriors,  who  thirsted  for  blood  and 
plunder,  to  join  him.  A  fleet  was  ready  on 
the  lakes  to  assist  him.  When  these  prepara 
tions  were  known,  the  people  were  filled  with 
terror ;  the  fear  of  the  tomahawk  and  scalp- 
ing-knife  added  greatly  to  their  dread  of  the 
power  of  the  English.  General  Burgoyne 
made  a  war-speech  to  his  ferocious  allies,  the 
Indians  ;  they  listened  attentively,  but  his 
charge  to  refrain  from  cruelty  was  not  remem 
bered,  when  they  had  the  power  to  indulge 
their  natural  dispositions. 

Ticonderoga  was  commanded  by  General 
St.  Clair.  On  the  1st  of  July  Burgoyne  pre 
pared  to  attack  the  fort,  and  his  force  was  so 
powerful  and  so  well  arranged  that  General 
St.  Clair  was  convinced  that  resistance  would 
ensure  the  destruction  of  all  his  troops,  and 
he  determined  on  withdrawing  secretly.  Or 
ders  were  given  to  march  out  quietly,  and  set 
nothing  on  fire;  but  this  order  was  not  obeyed, 
and  a  house  was  soon  in  flames,  which  served 
as  a  signal  to  the  enemy,  who  immediately 
entered  the  fort,  and  fired  on  the  retreating 
troops,  and  then  followed  them  and  attacked 
them  with  so  much  ardour,  that  they  were  in 
a  short  time  reduced  to  a  very  small  number. 


WASHINGTON.  97 

General  Schuyler  had  been  advancing  from 
Stillwater  with  troops,  when  he  heard  of  the 
retreat  of  St.  Clair,  and  he  then  used  great  ef 
forts  to  obtain  a  larger  force,  that  he  might 
stop  the  progress  of  the  enemy.  St.  Clair 
continued  retreating,  closely  pursued,  until  at 
length  he  joined  General  Schuyler,  who  had 
returned  with  his  troops  to  Stilhvater. 

When  General  Washington  heard  the  sad 
news  from  the  north,  he  wrote  to  General 
Schuyler,  "  This  stroke  is  indeed  severe ; 
but,  notwithstanding  things  at  present  wear  a 
dark  and  gloomy  aspect,  I  hope  a  spirited  op 
position  will  check  the  progress  of  General 
Burgoyne's  arms,  and  that  the  confidence  de 
rived  from  success  will  hurry  him  into  mea 
sures  that  will  in  their  consequences  be  fa 
vourable  to  us.  We  should  never  despair 
Our  situation  has  been  unpromising,  and  has 
changed  for  the  better.  So,  I  trust,  it  will 
again.  If  ne\v  difficulties  arise,  we  must  only 
put  forth  new  exertions." 

After  taking  Ticonderoga,  Burgoyne  sent  a 
part  of  his  army  up  the  lake,  to  Skeensbo- 
roughv  where  they  destroyed  the  American 
flotilla,  and  a  considerable  quantity  of  military 
s  ores. 

The  success  of  Burgoyne  had  the  effect 
which  Washington  had  hoped  for.  He  was 
so  confident  of  conquering  by  his  well  ordered 
troops,  that  he  determined  on  dividing  his 
army,  and  sending  detachments  in  different  di- 
I 


98  LIFE    OF 

rections,  that  he  might  overrun  a  larger  por 
tion  of  the  country  at  once.  He  sent  a  detach 
ment  of  five  hundred  English  and  one  hundred 
Indians  to  seize  the  military  stores  at  the  town 
of  Bennington,  in  Vermont.  General  Starke 
attacked  and  entirely  routed  these  troops ;  the 
greater  part  of  them  were  killed  or  taken  pri 
soners  ;  a  few  escaped  into  the  woods.  Other 
troops,  sent  by  Burgoyne,  arrived,  and  met 
their  flying  comrades.  They  were  attacked 
by  the  Americans,  and  obliged  to  give  up 
their  baggage  and  artillery,  and  save  them 
selves  by  retreating  under  cover  of  the  night. 

In  this  action  the  Americans  gained  one 
thousand  stand  of  arms  from  the  enemy,  and 
the  report  of  the  British  killed  and  wounded 
was  seven  hundred,  and  of  Americans,  one 
hundred. 

These  sanguinary  battles  are  not  recited  to 
fill  the  mind  with  a  love  of  scenes  which 
should  strike  us  with  horror,  at  the  dreadful 
result  produced  by  human  passions.  They 
are  facts,  however,  connected  with  our  coun 
try's  struggle  for  liberty  ;  and,  no  doubt,  such 
signal  success  encouraged  greatly  the  hearts 
of  those  who  stood  up  for  its  defence. 

General  Gates  took  the  command  of  the 
northern  army.  General  Washington  had 
sent  a  detachment  of  riflemen  from  his  own 
army,  and  had  directed  all  the  troops  that 
were  in  Massachusetts  to  join  them  ;  and  Ge 
neral  Gates,  with  this  force,  met  Burgoyne  at 


WASHINGTON  9£ 

Stillwater,  where  a  battle  wi.s  fought  on  the 
19th  September,  which  was  very  severe,  and 
neither  army  could  claim  the  victory ;  but  it 
was  an  action  in  which  the  Indians  became 
tired,  and  deserted  in  great  numbers,  so  that 
it  was  in  reality  of  great  importance  to  the 
Americans. 

General  Burgoyne  moved  on  towards  Sara 
oga,  and  General  Gates  followed  him.  Bur 
goyne,  as  if  disposed  to  destroy  the  country 
which  he  could  not  conquer,  set  fire  to  all  the 
dwelling  houses  in  his  way,  and  reduced  them 
to  ashes, — broke  down  all  the  bridges,  and 
endeavoured  to  stop  up  the  road,  to  delay  his 
pursuers  ;  but  the  Americans  were  not  long  in 
surmounting  such  difficulties. 

General  Gates,  anticipating  the  course  that 
Burgoyne  would  take,  placed  his  own  troops 
•  n  such  situations  as  entirely  surrounded  the 
army  of  the  enemy. 

To  deprive  Burgoyne  of  his  only  hope  of 
escape  up  the  Hudson,  General  Gates  ordered 
troops  to  guard  all  the  fords,  and  defend  them 
until  his  arniy  should  join  them.  General 
Burgoyne  used  every  means  to  effect  an 
escape,  but  his  conquering  course  was  run 
Seeing  his  situation  to  be  desperate,  he  mad 
proposals  for  a  surrender,  and  articles  of  capi 
tulation  were  agreed  to,  by  which  the  British 
soldiers  were  to  march  out  of  their  camp,  lay 
down  their  arms,  and  not  to  serve  again  in  the 
war.  They  were  to  go  to  Boston,  and  thence 


100  .    LIFE    OF 

to  England.  This  important  victory  was  gain 
ed  on  the  16th  October,  and  filled  the  people 
with  a  strong  confidence  that  they  had  the  fa 
vour  of  God,  and  might  take  to  themselves  the 
promise,  "  In  war  he  shall  redeem  thee  from 
the  power  of  the  sword." 

The  event  gave  a  new  face  to  things  in  Eu 
rope,  and  the  contest  of  the  colonies  began  to 
excite  feelings  of  deep  interest  among  the  rival 
nations  of  the  continent.  It  was  of  the  high 
est  importance  to  the  states  to  gain  the  aid  of 
those  nations  while  they  were  so  weak,  and 
without  funds  to  carry  on  the  war,  and  the 
prospects  of  success  were  now  so  greatly  in 
creased,  that  those  powers  began  to  seek  their 
own  advantage  in  forming  friendly  relations 
with  a  country  whose  commerce  was  so  great. 

When  the  victory  was  known  in  Pennsyl 
vania,  some  of  the  officers  of  the  army  were 
so  elated  by  it,  that  they  were  anxious  imme 
diately  to  make  an  attack  on  the  enemy  in  Phi 
ladelphia,  and  the  people  generally  approved 
of  the  rash  plan.  Many,  who  only  looked  on 
while  their  countrymen  were  toiling,  thought 
that  they  knew  better  than  Washington  how 
to  conduct  the  war,  and  they  were  loud  in 
their  talk  on  the  subject. 

Washhigton  knew  well    the    condition  of 
both  armies.     His  steady  mind  was  not  daz 
zled  by  the  idea  of  the  praise  he  should  gain 
by  success,    and   he   persevered    in   resisting- 
public  clamour,  when  he  knew  that  by  yield- 


WASHINGTON'.-  :01 

ing  to  it  ho  should  endanger  ihe  imere^ts  of 
his  country.  His  unyielding  virtue  skvad  his 
array  for  more  important  services.  He  was 
always  in  the  best  state  of  preparation  that  he 
could  by  constant  exertion  effect,  for  meeting 
an  attack  ;  but  was  resolved  not  to  commence 
one. 

Intelligence  was  brought  to  him  that  the 
enemy  in  the  city  were  preparing  to  march 
out  of  it,  and  that  it  was  the  design  of  Gene 
ral  Howe,  as  he  said,  to  drive  him  beyond 
the  mountains. 

This  information  was  given  by  a  female, 
named  Lydia  Darrah,  who  resided  in  Second 
street  below  Spruce  street,  opposite  to  Gene 
ral  Howe's  head-quarters,  in  Philadelphia. 
Two  of  the  British  officers  chose  a  back 
chamber  in  her  house,  as  a  secure  place  to 
hold  private  conversations  in  ;  and  on  the  2d 
December  they  told  her  they  would  be  there 
at  seven  o'clock,  and  remain  late,  and  desired 
that  she  and  all  her  family  would  go  to  bed 
early.  She  thought  something  that  would  be 
important  to  the  Americans  was  to  be  talked 
of,  and  she  placed  herself  in  a  situation  to 
overhear  what  was  said,  and  understood  from 
the  conversation  that  all  the  British  troops 
were  to  march  out  in  the  evening  of  the  4th, 
to  surprise  General  Washington  in  his  camp. 
Supposing  it  to  be  in  her  power  to  save  the 
lives  of  hundreds  of  her  countrymen,  she  was 
determined  to  try  to  carry  this  intelligence  to 
12 


102  LIFE    OF 

General  _  Washington., .  She  told  her  family 
sue  would  go  toFrankford,  to  the  mill,  where 
she  always  got  her  flour ;  and  she  had  no 
difficulty  in  getting  permission  from  Gene- 
neral  Howe  to  pass  the  troops  on  the  lines. 
Leaving  her  bag  at  the  mill,  she  hastened  to 
wards  the  American  camp,  and  met  an  Ameri 
can  officer,  named  Craig,  whom  she  knew. 
To  him  she  told  the  secret,  and  made  him 
promise  not  to  betray  her,  as  her  life  might 
in  that  case  be  taken  by  the  British.  Craig 
hastened  to  General  Washington  with  the  in 
formation,  and  Lydia  returned  home  with  her 
flour. 

General  Howe  marched  on  the  4th  Decem 
ber,  but  found  Washington  expecting  him  ; 
and,  disappointed,  he  encamped  within  three 
miles  of  the  Americans.  An  action  was  then 
expected  by  Washington,  and  he  prepared  for 
it. 

One  day  passed  in  which  small  detachments 
from  each  army  attacked  each  other,  and  then 
all  remained  again  at  rest.  Another  day  was 
spent  in  the  same  manner,  and  Washington 
employed  himself  in  giving  directions  to  every 
division  of  his  army,  and  in  encouraging  them 
to  resist  with  calm  bravery.  General  Howe 
suddenly  broke  up  his  camp,  and  marched  his 
troops  back  to  the  city.  His  doing  so  was  a 
proof  that  he  doubted  too  much  the  result  of  a 
contest,  when  the  Americans  were  in  a  favour 
able  situation  for  meeting  him. 


WASHINGTON.  103 

CHAPTER   V. 

1777_1780. 

As  the  severe  cold  increased,  the  sufferings 
of  the  troops  caused  Washington  great  anxie 
ty  ;  and  he  determined  on  seeking  some  better 
shelter  for  them  than  that  of  tents.  He  could 
not  separate  them  with  safety,  and  he  deter 
mined  on  removing  to  a  place  called  the  Val 
ley  Forge,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Schuylkill, 
about  twenty-four  miles  distant  from  Philadel 
phia.  The  march  of  the  army  might  have 
been  traced  by  the  marks  of  many  naked, 
bleeding  feet,  on  the  frozen  earth.  The  half 
perished  men  erected  log  huts,  to  shelter  them 
from  the  piercing  blasts,  but  their  clothing 
was  light;  and  when  they  lay  down  to  rest, 
they  had  not  blankets  to  cover  them  on  their 
bare  earthy  beds.  The  difficulty  of  getting 
provisions  was  so  great  that  they  were  often 
many  days  without  bread,  or  any  other  kind 
of  food,  than  that  of  a  scanty  portion  of  pota 
toes,  and  nuts,  which  they  could  gather  from 
under  the  -dried  leaves  in  the  woods.  The  re 
gular  order  of  an  encampment  was  kept  up, 
and  there  was  no  change  except  that  of  huts 
for  tents. 

In  the  year  1827,  on  that  spot  were  collect 
ed  several  thousands  of  the  inhabitants  of  this 


104  LIFE    OF 

now  free  and  prosperous  land,  to  celebrate 
with  "  the  voice  of  mirth  and  gladness,"  the 
ingathering  of  a  rich  harvest,  given  to  them 
by  that  bounteous  God  who  "  clothes  their 
pastures  with  flocks,  covers  over  their  valleys 
with  corn,  and  crowns  the  year  with  his  good 
ness."  This  festival  is  yearly  held. 

What  a  contrast  was  the  scene  of  that  har 
vest-home,  to  that  of  the  hut  encampment ! 
Should  an  American  think  of  it,  and  not  ac 
knowledge  with  gratitude  that  it  must  have 
been  the  mighty  hand  of  the  great  Ruler  of  the 
universe,  that  led  those  patriots  through  a  wil 
derness  of  sufferings  to  the  purchase  of  a  land 
of  freedom  and  prosperity  for  their  children  ? 
and  acknowledging  this,  can  any  one  refuse  to 
praise  him  for  his  goodness,  and  "  offer  unto 
him  the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving  ?" 

Washington  heard  that  he  was  blamed  Tor 
seeking  even  the  hut  shelter  for  his  suffering 
troops,  and  he  said,  "  It  is  much  easier  to 
censure  by  a  good  fireside,  in  a  comfortable 
room,  than  to  occupy  a  cold,  bleak  hill,  and 
sleep  under  frost  and  snow,  without  either 
clothes  or  blankets." 

Restless  busybodies  raised  a  report  that  he 
was  wearied  of  his  situation,  and  intended  to 
resign  it ;  in  a  letter  to  a  friend,  he  said,  "  I 
can  assure  you,  that  no  person  ever  heard  me 
drop  an  expression  that  had  a  tendency  to  re 
signation.  I  have  said,  and  I  do  still  say, 
that  there  is  not  an  officer  in  the  United  States 


WASHINGTON.  105 

that  would  return  to  the  sweets  of  domestic 
life  with  more  heart-felt  joy  than  I  should. 
But  I  would  have  this  declaration  accompanied 
by  these  sentiments,  that  while  the  public  are 
satisfied  with  my  endeavours,  I  mean  not  to 
shrink  from  the  cause  ;  but  the  moment  her 
voice,  not  that  of  faction,  calls  upon  me  to 
resign,  I  shall  do  so  with  as  much  pleasure 
as  ever  wearied  traveller  retired  to  rest." 

The  faithful  wife  of  Washington  had  no 
family  to  need  her  care  at  home,  and  when  he 
was  absent  and  deprived  of  its  comforts,  that 
home  was  cheerless  to  her.  When  it  was 
possible,  she  was  with  him  to  share  his  hard 
ships,  and  endeavQur  to  contribute  to  cheer 
his  sad  prospects,  by  her  attentions  and  ex 
pressions  of  calm,  firm  confidence,  that  better 
days  would  soon  come.  At  the  hut-camp  his 
table  was  furnished  with  no  better  food  than 
could  be  procured  for  his  troops  ;  and  his  wifv 
then  shared  his  hard  bread  and  few  potatoes. 
Her  willingness  to  do  so,  and  her  cheerful 
conduct,  assisted  to  enliven  the  desponding, 
and  encourage  those  who  were  cast  down. 
Through  the  trying  scenes  of  the  long  con 
test,  the  American  women  proved  that  they 
possessed  patriotic  feelings,  by  doing  all  in 
their  power  to  aid  their  fathers,  sons,  bro 
thers,  and  husbands,  in  the  defence  of  their 
country. 

They  actively  endeavoured  to  supply  them 
with  clothing,  and  to  free  them  from  anxiety 


106  LIFE    OF 

for  the  safety  of  themselves  and  their  children, 
whom  they  were  obliged  to  leave  unprotected 
An  extract  from  a  letter,  written  in  the  gloomy 
December  of  1776,  will  be  a  specimen  of  the 
sentiments  expressed  generally  by  American 
wives.  "  The  country  here  is  all  in  confusion  ; 
the  militia  are  to  march  in  the  morning.  I 
will  send  a  letter,  but  know  not  where  it  will 
find  you.  May  God  grant  you  health,  and  pre 
serve  you  through  this  fatiguing  campaign.  1 
feel  little  for  myself,  when  I  think  of  the  dan 
gers  to  which  you  and  so  many  of  my  brave 
countrymen  are  exposed.  But  I  will  not  re 
pine — God  is  all  sufficient.  I  would  not  have 
you  here,  when  your  country  calls,  if  one  wish 
could  bring  you.  Feel  no  care  for  me  and 
our  children  ;  through  the  mercy  of  our  God, 
I  have  been  enabled  to  conquer  my  fears,  and 
do  hope  in  his  providence  to  meet  you  again 
in  a  better  day.  I  think  a  decisive  stroke  must 
soon  be  given ;  God  grant  that  it  may  ]?e  in 
our  favour." 

Often  obliged  to  conceal  themselves  and 
their  children,  in  barns  and  wood-thickets, 
from  the  parties  of  English  soldiers  which 
overran  the  country,  many  were  the  fervent 
prayers  which  the  American  women  breathed 
from  those  hiding  places  to  the  ever  present 
God,  whom  they  trusted  would  protect  them. 
In  his  own  good  time,  he  fulfilled  to  them  his 
promise,  "  My  people  shall  dwell  in  a  peace 
able  habitation." 


WASHINGTON.  107 

While  his  army  were  in  their  log  hutr, 
Washington  was  not  idle.  He  directed  vari 
ous  means  to  be  tried  for  obtaining  supplies 
of  provisions ;  and  employed  his  mind  in  re 
flecting  on  the  best  plans  to  be  pursued  by  the 
different  commanders  of  the  army.  He  pre 
pared  accounts  for  each  state,  of  the  number 
of  troops  which  remained  of  those  sent  by  it, 
and  urged  earnestly  that  more  should  be  en 
gaged.  Congress  was  assembled  in  Lancas 
ter,  and  appointed  a  committee  to  visit  the 
camp,  and  Washington  wrote  a  statement  for 
them  of  all  his  plans  for  relieving  the  army. 

While  he  was  thus  engaged,  he  received  a 
letter  from  the  English  governor  of  New  York, 
enclosing  a  resolution  of  Parliament  to  propose 
a  reconciliation  to  the  Americans  ;  offers  of 
pardon  were  made,  but  none  to  acknowledge 
their  independence. 

The  governor  requested  General  Washing 
ton  to  make  this  resolution  known  to  his  ar 
my.  He  sent  the  letter  and  paper  to  Congress, 
and  expressed  his  surprise  at  the  "  extraordi 
nary  request  of  the  governor."  Congress 
immediately  resolved  to  refuse  accepting  any 
offers  from  the  English  government,  unless 
the  independence  of  their  country  was  ac 
knowledged.  General  Washington  enclosed 
this  resolution  to  the  governor,  and  requested 
him  to  make  it  known  to  the  English  army. 

To  show  the  settled  determination  of  Con. 
gress  on  this  point,  and  the  spirit  of  devotion 


108  LIFE    OF 

in  which  they  had  acted,  it  may  be  mentioned 
that  Mr.  Laurens,  the  President  of  Congress, 
stated,  in  reply  to  a  letter  to  him  on  the  sub 
ject,  that  it  would  be  unnatural  to  suppose 
their  minds  less  firm  than  "  when  destitute 
of  all  foreign  aid,  and  even  without  expecta 
tion  of  an  alliance,  when  upon  a  day  of  gene 
ral  fasting  and  humiliation,  in  their  houses  of 
worship,  and  in  the  presence  of  God,  they  re 
solved  to  hold  no  treaty  with  Great  Britain 
unless  they  shall  acknowledge  the  indepen 
dence  of  these  states."  Men,  who,  in  the  ex 
ercise  of  confidence  in  God's  providence,  and 
in  humble  prayer  to  Him,  calmly  resolve  on 
any  course,  are  not  the  persons  to  be  diverted 
from  their  purpose  by  fear  or  the  hope  of 
gain.  Such  were  the  men  to  whom  we  owe 
our  libertie's,  under  the  blessing  of  the  God 
whom  they  worshipped. 

Several  letters  were  addressed  to  some 
members  of  Congress,  by  commissioners  au 
thorized  by  the  British  government,  assuring 
them  of  honours  and  reward,  if  they  would 
procure  a  reconciliation  on  the  terms  they  of 
fered — that  is,  to  remain  colonies.  A  propo 
sal  was  made  to  Joseph  Reed,  a  member 
from  Pennsylvania,  that  he  should  have  the 
best  office  in  America  under  the  king,  and 
ten  thousand  pounds,  if  he  could  bring  Con 
gress  to  consent  to  the  offers  of  the  British. 
He  replied  that  he  was  "  not  worth  buying ; 
but,  such  as  he  was,  the  king  of  England  was 


WASHINGTON.  109 

not  rich  enough  to  do  it."  The  commission 
ers  persisted  for  some  time  in  their  endeavours 
to  succeecf,  and  sent  addresses  to  persons  of 
every  description  in  each  state,  with  offers  of 
pardon  if  they  would  return  to  their  duty  to 
the  king,  and  threatenings  of  severe  ven 
geance,  if  they  did  not:  but  their  promises 
?nd  threats  were  alike  disregarded. 

About  this  time  Congress  received  intelli 
gence  from  Silas  Deane,  Dr.  Franklin,  and 
Arthur  Lee,  their  agents  in  France,  that  they 
had  succeeded  in  making  a  treaty  with  the 
French  nation.  The  joy  throughout  the  coun 
try,  when  this  was  known,  is  inexpressible. 
That  God,  to  whom  their  ardent  prayers  were 
offered  in  the  time  of  distress,  was  not  forgot 
ten  in  the  day  of  rejoicing.  By*  order  of 
Washington,  the  several  brigades  assembled,. 
and  their  chaplains  offered  up  public  thanks 
to  Almighty  God  for  his  mercies,  and  suitable, 
discourses  were  delivered  on  the  occasion. 

The  sufferings  of  the  wounded  soldiers  at 
Valley  Forge  pained  the  heart  of  their  com 
mander,  and  he  wrote:  "  I  sincerely  feel  foi 
the  unhappy  condition  of  our  poor  fellows  in 
the  hospitals,  and  wish  my  powers  to  relieve 
them  were  equal  to  my  inclinations.  Our  dif 
ficulties  and  distresses  are  certainly  great,  and 
such  as  wound  the  feelings  of  humanity." 

While  he  was  thus  humanely  and  actively 
employed  in  various  ceaseless  duties,  slan 
derers  were  busy  in  secret,  preparing  new 
K 


110  LIFE    OF 

anxieties  for  his  mind.  Unsigned  letters  were 
sent  to  several  members  of  Congress,  contain 
ing  base  charges  against  him,  and  uf  ging  them 
to  endeavour  to  take  from  him  the  command 
of  their  armies. 

He  received  a  letter  from  Patrick  Henry, 
governor  of  Virginia,  enclosing  one  that  had 
been  sent  to  him  on  the  subject.  Governor 
Henry  said,  "  While  you  face  the  armed 
enemies  of  our  liberty,  and  by  the  favour  of 
God  have  been  kept  unhurt,  I  trust  our  coun 
try  will  never  harbour  in  her  bosom  the  mis 
creant  who  would  ruin  our  best  supporter.  I 
-cannot  help  assuring  you  of  the  high  sense  of 
gratitude  which  all  ranks  of  men  in  this,  your 
.native  country,  bear  you.  I  do  not  like  to 
:make  a  parade  of  these  things,  for  I  know  you 
.  are  not  fond  of  it ;  but  the  occasion  will  plead 
my  excuse." 

After  thanking  him,  Washington,  in  reply, 
said,  "  All  I  can  say  is,  America  has,  and  I 
trust  ever  will  have,  my  honest  exertions  to 
promote  her  interest.  I  cannot  hope  that  my 
services  have  been  the  best ;  but  my  heart 
tells  me  they  were  the  best  that  I  could  ren 
der."  He  requested  that  the  papers  might  all 
be  laid  before  Congress,  as  they  contained,  he 
rsatd,  serious  charges. 

Pained,  no  doubt,  by  these  cruel  slanders, 
yet  his  noble  mind  did  not  suffer  them  to  in- 
-,  fluence  his  conduct  towards  those  whom  he 
'had  cause  to  suppose  were  the  authors  of 


WASHINGTON.  Ill 

them.  He  said,  "  My  enemies  take  an  unge 
nerous  advantage  of  me.  They  know  I  cannot 
combat  their  insinuations,  however  injurious, 
without  disclosing  secrets  it  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  conceal." 

The  only  effect  these  attacks  had,  was  to 
excite  the  resentment  of  the  people  of  the 
United  States  against  those  who  made  them  ; 
and  to  bind  still  closer  to  their  revered  com 
mander,  the  army  from  whom  his  secret  ene 
mies  wished  to  remove  him.  There  was 
something  in  his  character  which  attached  his 
officers  and  troops  to  him  so  firmly,  that  no 
distress  nor  sufferings  could  lessen  the  vene 
ration  they  felt  for  him  ;  and  he  always  ac 
knowledged  with  praise  their  faithfulness  and 
attachment. 

In  describing  their  condition  in  the  hut- 
camp,  he  said,  "  For  some  clays  there  has 
been  little  less  than  a  famine  in  the  camp  ;  but, 
naked  and  starving  as  they  are,  I  cannot 
enough  admire  the  incomparable  fidelity  of  the 
soldiers,  that  they  have  not  before  this  time 
been  excited  to  a  general  mutiny  or  disper 
sion." 

The  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country, 
knowing  this  sad  state  of  the  army,  were  very 
uneasy;  one  of  them  left  his  home,  one  day, 
and  as  he  was  passing  thoughtfully  the  edge 
of  a  wood  near  the  hut-camp,  he  heard  low 
sounds  of  a  voice.  He  stopped  to  listen,  and 
looking  between  the  trunks  of  the  large  trees 


112  LIFE    OF 

he  saw  Gen.  Washington  engaged  in  prayer 
He  passed  quietly  on,  that  he  might  not  dis 
turb  him ;  and,  on  returning  home,  told  his 
family  he  knew  the  Americans  would  suc 
ceed,  for  their  leader  did  not  trust  in  his  own 
strength,  but  sought  aid  from  the  hearer  of 
prayer,  who  promised  in  his  word,  "  Call 
upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble ;  I  will  deliver 
thee,  and  thou  shalt  glorify  me."  A  female, 
who  lived  at  the  Valley  Forge  when  the  army 
was  encamped  there,  told  a  friend  who  visited 
her  soon  after  they  left  it,  that  she  had  disco 
vered  that  it  was  the  habit  of  Washington  to 
retire  to  a  short  distance  from  the  camp  to 
worship  God  in  prayer.  Many,  who  in  "  the 
day  of  prosperity"  have  forgotten  or  neglected 
to  worship  their  Creator,  will  earnestly  call 
upon  him  in  "  the  day  of  trouble,"  when  they 
feel  that  His  power  only  can  deliver  them ; 
but.  it  was  not  thus  with  Washington ;  it  was 
his  constant  custom  as  one  of  his  nephews 
has  thus  related:  "One  morning,  at  day 
break,  an  officer  came  to  the  general's  quar 
ters  with  despatches.  As  such  communica 
tions  usually  passed  through  my  hands,  I  took 
he  papers  from  the  messenger  and  directed 
my  steps  towards  the  general's  room.  Walk 
ing  along  the  passage  which  led  to  his  door,  I 
heard  a  voice  within.  I  paused,  and  distinct 
ly  recognised  the  voice  of  the  general.  Lis 
tening  for  a  moment,  when  all  was  silent 
around,  I  found  that  he  was  earnestly  engaged 


WASHINGTON.  1 1  3 

in  prayer.  /  knew  this  to  be  his  habit,  and 
herefore  retired,  with  the  papers  in  my  hand, 
till  such  time  as  I  supposed  he  had  finished 
ihe  exercise,  when  I  returned,  knocked  at  his 
door,  and  was  admitted."  Thus,  in  obedience 
to  Him  whom  he  called  "  the  Divine  Author 
of  our  blessed  religion,"  Washington,  in  the 
retirement  of  his  chamber,  prayed  to  his 
"  Father  who  seeth  in  secret;"  and  truly  his 
"  Father,  who  seeth  in  secret,"  did  "reward 
him  openly." 

Although  the  sufferings  of  the  Americans, 
while  encamped  at  the  Valley  Forge,  were 
severe,  yet,  in  after  days,  when  those  who 
had  been  engaged  in  the  trying  warfare,  were 
enjoying  the  blessings  of  that  independence 
for  which  they  had  toiled,  they  then  could 
be  sensible  that  they  had  been  tried  by  their 
Creator  to  "  humble  them  and  prove  them," 
that  he  might  "do  them  good  at  the  latter 
end." 

When  the  gloomy  winter  was  passed, 
Washington  prepared,  as  far  as  he  had  the 
power,  for  the  summer  campaign  ;  but  all  the 
plans  he  formed  for  increasing  his  army  were 
in  a  great  degree  disappointed.  The  favour 
of  Divine  Providence  had  been  given  in  re 
straining  their  enemies  from  attacking  them 
in  their  hut-encampment ;  want  of  provisions 
would  have  forced  them  out  of  it,  and  their 
sad  condition  as  to  clothing  would  have  disa 
bled  them  from  remaining  in  the  field  unshel- 
K2 


114  LIFE  OF 

tered.  In  February  there  were  more  than 
three  thousand  men  unfit  for  duty,  from  a  want 
of  clothes  ;  and  there  were  not  more,  than  five 
thousand  who  could  have  attempted  to  resist  a 
well  clad,  well  fed,  and  high  spirited  army. 
The  wisdom  of  their  foes  was  "  turned  into 
foolishness,"  or  the  feeble  Americans  would 
have  fallen  beneath  their  power. 

In  the  spring,  to  restrain  as  much  as  possi 
ble  the  parties  which  went  from  the  city  to 
get  provisions,  and  to  form  a  guard  for  the  se 
curity  of  the  army  at  the  Valley  Forge,  Gene 
ral  Lafayette,  with  two  thousand  men,  was 
stationed  at  Barren  Hill,  about  eight  or  ten 
miles  in  front  of  the  army.  When  the  En 
glish  commander  was  informed  of  this,  he  sent 
General  Grant,  with  five  thousand  men,  to 
•march  quietly  in  the  night,  and  place  them- 
•selves  between  Lafayette  and  the  hut-camp. 
A  detachment  of  militia,  who  were  to  have 
.guarded  the  roads  in  that  direction,  changed 
their  place  without  the  knowledge  of  Lafay- 
..ette ;  and  at  sunrise,  20th  May,  1778,  he 
discovered  that  this  large  force  of  the  enemy 
was  approaching  in  a  way  that  would  preven 
his  retreat  to  the  camp. 

He  immediately  advanced  at  the  head  of 
column,  as  if  to  meet  the  enemy,  while  he  di 
rected  the  rest  of  his  troops  to  move  oft  rapidly 
towards  the  Schuylkill,  and,  as  he  advanced, 
he  also  approached  the  river.  General  Grant 
lialte  1  to  prepare  for  battle  ;  and  Lafayette  di- 


WASHINGTON.  115 

rected  some  of  his  troops  to  arrest  the  atten 
tion  of  those  who  had  been  placed  to  guard  the 
ford,  and  he  then  passed  so  quickly  over  the 
river,  with  all  his  men,  that  he  had  possession 
of  the  high  grounds  by  the  time  that  his  ene 
my  could  arive  at  the  ford  ;  and  they  returned 
to  the  city  without  having  accomplished  the 
purpose  for  which  they  had  been  sent  out. 

When  the  English  government  knew  of  the 
treaty  between  France  and  America,  they  ex 
pected  that  a  French  fleet  would  be  sent  out, 
and  in  that  case  Philadelphia  would  be  a  dan 
gerous  situation  for  their  army.  Sir  Henry 
Clinton  took  the  place  of  Sir  William  Howe, 
and  he  was  directed  to  remove  the  troops  from 
the  city.  When  General  Washington  heard 
of  this,  he  formed  his  plan  for  acting.  He 
wished  to  prevent  the  enemy  passing  through 
New  Jersey  with  ease ;  and  he  directed  the 
militia  there  to  break  down  the  bridges,  and 
obstruct  the  roads  as  much  as  possible  ;  and 
he  kept  his  own  troops  in  readiness  to  move, 
so  soon  as  the  enemy  should  leave  the  city. 

On  the  18th  June,  1778,  they  crossed  at 
Gloucester  Point,  into  New  Jersey,  and  passed 
slowly  on  through  Haddonfield  towards  Allen- 
town.  The  numerous  troops,  with  their  bag 
gage,  formed  a  line  of  several  miles  in  length 

General  Washington  put  his  troops  into 
motion  on  the  same  day,  and  marched  through 
pennsylvania  to  Coryell's  Ferry,  where  the 
town  of  New  Hope  has  since  been  built ;, 


116  LIFE  OF 

there  he  crossed  the  Delaware,  and  advanced  to 
wards  Kingston  in  New  Jersey.  The  English 
army  had  marched  to  Monmouth;  and  Wash 
ington,  having  determined  on  attacking  them, 
gave  orders  to  the  oflicers  of  his  army,  and 
inarched  towards  Monmouth,  where  he  met 
the  enemies  of  his  country  on  the  28th  June 
The  heat  of  the  air  was  powerful ;  but  more 
powerful  still  were  the  uncontrolled  passions 
of  human  nature  ;  and  the  dreadful  work  of 
battle  commenced,  and  continued  until  the 
beams  of  the  glowing  sun  were  all  with 
drawn,  and  the  dark,  cool  shade  of  night  fell 
upon  the  awful  scene,  and  stopped  the  fearful 
work. 

The  American  army  rested  on  their  arms ; 
and  General  Washington  threw  himself  at  the 
foot  of  a  tree,  to  gain  a  little  ease  after  the  fa 
tigues  of  the  anxious  day.  He  expected  that 
the  light  of  dawn  would  be  the  signal  for  re 
newing  the  action ;  but  the  English  moved 
silently  away  in  the  night,  and  the  morning 
showed  the  mournful  scenes  of  a  battle  ground 
— man  deprived  of  life  and  all  its  hopes  by 
his  fellow  man ;  or  wounded,  to  linger  in  un- 
comforted  sufferings.  Every  real  Christian 
will  rejoice,  that  there  is  a  divine  promise 
that  the  time  shall  come,  when  he  who  is 
"  the  Mighty  God,"  will  exercise  his  power 
as  "  the  Prince  of  Peace,'5  and  bring  all 
hearts  into  subjection  to  the  mild  precepts  of 
the  gospel,  so  that  "  nation  shall  not  lift  up 


WASHINGTON.  H7 

sword  against  nation,  neither  shall  they  learn 
war  any  more." 

The  victory  was  claimed  by  both  armies. 
General  Washington  knew  that  the  English 
could  gain  a  favourable  situation  before  he 
could  overtake  them,  and  he  determined  on 
not  attempting  it ;  but  moved  towards  the 
north  river,  while  the  enemy  passed  on,  and 
crossed  over  to  New  York. 

Before  General  Washington  reached  the 
place  he  intended  to  encamp  on,  he  received 
a  letter  from  Congress,  informing  him  that  a 
French  fleet  had  arrived  off  the  coast  of  Vir 
ginia,  and  that  Congress  wished  him  imme 
diately  to  form  some  plan,  in  the  execution 
of  which  the  fleet  could  assist  him.  The  ad 
miral  of  the  fleet  proposed  attacking  the  En 
glish  at  Newport,  in  Rhode  Island.  General 
Washington  consented  to  this,  and  made  pre 
parations  for  doing  so.  American  troops, 
commanded  by  General  Sullivan,  were  soon 
in  readiness  to  besiege  the  town,  but  waited 
for  some  days  for  the  French  fleet  to  appear 
and  assist  them.  Feeling  confident  that  it 
was  near,  Sullivan  commenced  the  siege. 
The  fleet  in  a  few  days  was  in  sight,  but  then 
was  moved  off  to  meet  the  English  fleet  which 
had  sailed  from  New  York.  They  were  pre 
paring  for  an  action,  when  a  violent  storm  se 
parated  them,  and  injured  several  of  their 
ghips.  The  English  fleet  then  sailed  back  to 
New  York,  and  the  French  admiral  D'Estaing 


118  LIFE  OF 

informed  General  Sullivan,  that  he  could  not 
return  to  Newport,  but  would  sail  to  Boston 
to  repair  his  ships. 

Sullivan  was  sadly  disappointed  by  this  re 
solution,  as  it  would  oblige  him  to  give  up  the 
siege,  in  which  he  had  every  prospect  of  suc 
cess,  if  assisted  by  the  fleet.  General  Lafay 
ette  went  to  the  admiral  to  endeavour  to  pre 
vail  on  him  to  remain,  but  his  efforts  were 
vain.  General  Sullivan  then,  in  giving  his  or 
ders  to  his  troops,  said  they  must  "  endea 
vour  to  do  for  themselves,  what  their  French 
friends  had  refused  to  aid  them*  in  ;"  but  he 
found  it  would  be  useless  to  continue  the 
siege,  and  he  withdrew  from  Newport.  He 
was  followed  by  the  English,  and  had  a  short 
but  severe  battle  on  the  29th  August,  and  then 
crossed  over  to  the  main  land.  The  next  day 
a  large  force  and  several  English  ships  arrived 
at  Newport,  so  that  if  he  had  remained  one 
day  longer,  his  army  must  have  been  destroyed 
or  taken.  The  French  admiral  was  very 
much  offended  by  what  General  Sullivan  had 
said ;  and  the  people  in  Boston  were  so  much 
displeased  with  the  conduct  of  the  admiral, 
that  it  was  feared  he  would  not  be  able  to  get 
assistance  there  to  repair  his  ships. 

With  care  like  that  of  an  anxious  parent  for 
a  child,  Washington  watched  every  occurrence 
that  would  be  likely  to  injure  the  interests  of 
his  country ;  and  this  event  gave  him  great 
uneasiness.  He  endeavoured  to  calm  the  of- 


WASHINGTON.  1 1  9 

fended  parties  ;  and  in  this  work  of  peace 
making  he  was  aided  by  the  amiable  Lafay 
ette,  who  was  as  deservedly  dear  to  his  own 
countrymen,  as  he  was  to  the  Americans.  A 
few  letters  passed  between  Washington  and 
the  admiral,  and  at  last  good  humour  was  re 
stored. 

When  the  English  fleet  was  repaired,  it 
sailed  to  Boston,  to  blockade  the  French  ;  but 
a  storm  again  carried  it  out  to  sea,  and  in  the 
beginning  of  November  the  French  fleet  left 
Boston  and  sailed  for  the  West  Indies. 

As  it  seemed  probable  that  there  would  be 
a  war  in  Europe,  in  which  France  would  take 
a  part,  General  Lafayette  wished  to  offer  his 
services  to  his  own  country.  General  Wash 
ington  expressed  a  wish  to  Congress  that  La 
fayette,  instead  of  resigning  his  commission, 
might  have  leave  of  absence  for  any  time  that 
he  wished  ;  Congress  complied  with  this,  and 
Lafayette  returned  to  France.  A  part  of  the 
English  army  was  sent  in  the  fleet  of  Commo 
dore  Hyde  Parker,  to  the  southern  states  ;  and 
as  there  was  no  prospect  of  doing  any  thing  in 
the  northern  or  middle  states  in  a  winter  cam 
paign,  Washington  placed  his  army  in  huts, 
the  main  body  in  Connecticut,  and  portions 
on  both  sides  of  the  Hudson  river,  and  about 
West  Point,  and  at  Middle  Brook. 

In  preparing  for  the  next  campaign,  Con 
gress  were  less  active  than  the  anxious  mind 
of  Washington  thought  absolutely  necessary, 


120  LIFE  OF 

for  they  expected  that  the  alliance  formed  with 
France  would  be  of  great  importance  to  aid 
them  in  soon  ending  the  war.  Washington 
used  every  effort  to  prevent  this  false  security 
injuring  the  cause  he  was  so  desirous  to  pro 
mote  ;  and  his  wisdom  and  sound  judgment 
could  discover  the  fatal  consequences  of  be 
coming1  less  active  in  preparations  for  defence. 
The  English  troops  which  had  been  sent  to 
Georgia,  commanded  by  General  Provost  and 
Colonel  Campbell,  had  succeeded  in  taking 
entire  possession  of  that  state  ;  and  thus  victo 
rious  there,  it  was  probable  they  would  attempt 
to  do  the  same  in  the  other  southern  states. 
In  writing  on  the  subject  of  increasing  every 
effort  to  raise  more  troops,  Washington  said — 
"  I  have  seen  without  despondency  even  for  a 
moment,  the  hours  which  America  called  her 
gloomy  ones  ;  but  I  have  beheld  no  day  since 
the  commencement  of  hostilities,  when  I  have 
thought  her  liberties  in  such  imminent  dan 
ger  as  at  present."  But  it  was  also  about 
this  time,  that  reviewing  the  history  of  the 
year  in  a  letter  to  a  friend,  he  observed : — 
'  The  hand  of  Providence  is  so  conspicuous 
in  all  this,  that  he  must  be  ivorse  than  an  in 
fidel  that  lacks  faith,  and  more  than  wicked, 
that  has  not  gratitude  to  acknowledge  his 
obligations.''1 

An  occurrence  in  his  army  caused  in  his 
mind  a  new  care.  The  Indians  on  the  frontiers 
of  the  states  had  been  practising  their  barba- 


WASHINGTON.  121 

rous  warfare,  in  connexion  with  some  of  the 
equally  barbarous  white  settlers. 

Washington  determined  on  sending  troops 
there  for  the  relief  of  the  suffering  inhabitants  ; 
and  gave  orders  for  this  purpose  to  the  offi 
cers  whom  he  intended  should  command  these 
troops  The  officers  of  one  of  the  regiments 
entered  into  an  agreement  not  to  march,  until 
Congress  had  paid  them  all  that  was  due  to 
them;  and  to  resign,  if  it  was  not  done  in 
three  days. 

When  their  commander  was  informed  of 
this  he  was  much  distressed.  He  knew  the 
sufferings  which  had  driven  them  to  this  de 
termination  ;  but  he  dreaded  the  ill  conse 
quences  of  it,  and  immediately  wrote  to  the 
officers  as  their  friend,  as  well  as  their  com 
mander. 

He  said,  "  The  patience  and  perseverance 
of  the  army  have  been,  under  every  disadvan 
tage,  such  as  to  do  them  the  highest  honour, 
both  at  home  and  abroad ;  and  have  inspired 
me  with  an  unlimited  confidence  in  their  vir 
tue,  which  has  consoled  me  amidst  every  per 
plexity  and  reverse  of  fortune,  to  which  our 
affairs,  in  a  struggle  of  this  nature,  were  ne 
cessarily  exposed.  Now  that  we  have  made 
so  great  a  progress  to  the  attainment  of  the 
end  we  have  in  view,  so  that  we  cannot  fail, 
without  a  most  shameful  desertion  of  our  own 
interests,  any  thing  like  a  change  of  conduct 
wcxuld  imply  a  very  unhappy  change  of  prin 
L 


122  LIFE  OF 

ciples,  and  a  forge tfulness  as  well  of  what  we 
owe  to  ourselves  as  to  our  country.  The  ser 
vice  fo?  which  the  regiment  was  intended  does 
not  admit  delay.  I  am  sure  I  shall  not  be 
mistaken  in  expecting  a  prompt  and  cheerful 
obedience."  The  rest  of  the  letter  contained 
assurances  of  his  affectionate  interest  in  their 
oncerns,  and  his  constant  endeavours  to  pro 
cure  for  them  all  the  relief  in  his  power. 

The  officers  replied,  that  they  sincerely  re 
gretted  having  given  him  uneasiness,  but  that 
they  had  been  driven  to  the  course  they  had 
pursued,  by  being  without  the  means  of  sup 
plying  their  families  with  food.  They  assured 
him  they  did  not  intend  to  disobey  his  orders, 
and  that  they  had  "  the  highest  sense  of  his 
abilities  and  virtues."  They  marched  at  the 
time  appointed,  and  their  faithful  commandei 
made  such  earnest  representations  to  Congress, 
on  the  subject  of  making  provision  for  them, 
that  he  was  in  a  good  degree  successful  in  ob 
taining  it. 

Early  in  the  spring,  he  received  information 
that  the  English  in  New  York  were  making 
preparations  for  some  expedition  ;  and  he  sus 
pected  they  would  attempt  to  take  possession 
of  the  forts  on  the  Hudson  river.  At  the  com 
mencement  of  the  Highlands,  through  which 
the  river  winds,  the  Americans  had  erected  a 
fort,  which  they  called  Lafayette.  It  was  on 
the  west  side  of  the  Hudson,  and  opposite  to 
it  was  a  high  piece  of  ground,  called  Stony 


WASHINGTON*.  123 

Point.  They  began  to  form  defences  there, 
but  before  they  were  completed,  a  large  force 
from  New  York  was  sent  out  against  the 
workers,  and  they  were  obliged  to  retreat. 
The  English  then  fired  upon  Fort  Lafayette 
from  Stony  Point,  while  their  ships  prepared 
to  attack  it  from  their  situation  higher  up  the 
river.  To  prevent  the  entire  destruction  of 
all  the  troops  in  it,  the  commander  surrender 
ed  the  fort,  and  the  enemy  then  finished  the 
works  on  Stony  Point,  and  placed  troops  there 
for  its  defence.  A  part  of  their  army  then 
marched  into  Connecticut;  the  militia  of  that 
state  assembled  immediately,  and  made  a 
brave  resistance,  but  it  was  feeble,  compared 
to  the  power  of  their  foes.  The  governor  of 
New  York,  General  Try  on,  commanded  them, 
and  he  excused  himself  for  burning  the  towns, 
by  saying  it  was  "  to  resent  the  firing  of  the 
rebels  from  their  houses,  and  to  mask  a  re- 
reat." 

It  was  in  the  summer  of  this  year,  that  Ge 
neral  Washington  took  measures  to  suppress 
the  habit  of  profane  swearing  which  prevailed 
in  the  army.  The  following  general  order  is 
sufficiently  illustrative  of  his  views  of  that 
most  vulgar  and  impious  practice. 

"HEAD  QUARTERS,  Mores1  House, 

"  Thursday,  July  29th,  1779. 
"Many  and  pointed  orders  have  been  issued 
against  that  unmeaning  and  abominable  cus- 


124  LIFE    OF 

torn,  SWEARING.  Notwithstanding  which,  with 
much  regret  the  general  observes  that  it  pre 
vails,  if  possible,  more  than  ever — his  feelings 
are  continually  wounded  by  the  oaths  and  im 
precations  of  the  soldiers ;  whenever  he  is  in 
hearing  of  them,  the  name  of  that  Being  from 
whose  bountiful  goodness  we  are  permitted  to 
enjoy  the  comforts  of  life,  is  incessantly  im 
precated  and  profaned  in  a  manner  as  wanton 
as  it  is  shocking :  for  the  sake  therefore  of  re 
ligion,  decency,  and  order,  the  general  hopes 
and  trusts,  that  officers  of  every  rank  would 
use  their  influence  and  authority  to  check  a 
vice  which  is  as  unprofitable  as  it  is  wicked 
and  shameful.  If  officers  would  make  it  an 
invariable  rule  to  reprimand,  and  if  that  does 
not  do,  to  punish  soldiers  for  offences  of  this 
kind,  it  could  not  fail  of  having  its  intended 
effect." 

On  the  first  intelligence  of  the  invasion  of 
Connecticut,  Washington  sent  troops  to  aid 
the  militia  of  that  state  ;  but  before  they  could 
be  useful,  the  English  troops  were  recalled 
to  New  York.  This  movement  was  occa 
sioned  by  the  activity  of  the  Americans  in  the 
Highlands. 

Washington  had  determined  on  endeavour 
ing  to  recover  Stony  Point ;  he  thought  that 
success  in  this  would  draw  the  enemy  from 
their  destructive  work  of  burning  the  towns  on 


WASHINGTON.  125 

the  coast.  The  troops  chosen  for  this  attempt 
were  commanded  by  General  Wayne.  They 
marched  fourteen  miles  over  a  rough,  moun 
tainous  country,  in  the  middle  of  July,  and 
then  had  to  pass  a  long  marsh.  They  suc 
ceeded  in  approaching  the  fort  in  quietness  in 
the  middle  of  the  night,  and  made  an  attack 
with  their  bayonets,  with  so  much  bravery, 
that  they  got  possession  of  it  without  a  single 
gun  being  fired  by  them. 

As  General  Washington  expected,  this  suc 
cess  caused  the  English  general  to  recall  his 
army  from  Connecticut,  and  he  determined  to 
employ  all  his  force,  by  land  and  water,  to  re 
take  the  fort.  Washington  knew  they  would 
certainly  succeed,  he  would  not  expose  his 
troops  to  destruction,  and  he  withdrew  them 
from  Stony  Point  and  placed  them  at  West 
Point,  which  he  made  the  head-quarters  of  his 
army.  Soon  after  he  had  done  so,  one  of  his 
officers,  Major  Lee,  formed  a  plan  for  surpris 
ing  the  English  troops  that  were  stationed  at 
Paules-Hook.  He  was  successful  in  executing 
his  plan,  and  took  a  large  number  of  them  pri 
soners. 

The  French  fleet  returned  from  the  West 
Indies,  and  arrived  off  the  coast  of  Georgia; 
and,  assisted  by  the  American  troops,  who 
were  commanded  by  General  Lincoln,  made 
an  unsuccessful  attack  upon  the  English,  who 
had  possession  of  Savannah.  The  fleet  then 
left  America  again. 

L2 


126  LIFE    OF 

In  the  course  of  that  season,  the  noise  of 
war  was  heard  in  almost  every  portion  of  the 
land.  Gen.  Sulliv^an  was  sent  against  the  In 
dians  on  the  frontiers.  English  troops  enter 
ed  the  newly  settled  parts  of  Massachusetts, 
and  a  large  force  was  also  busy  in  the  south. 

When  the  month  of  December  was  almost 
passed,  General  Washington  placed  his  army 
in  two  hutted-camps.  One  near  West  Point, 
for  the  security  of  the  posts  on  the  North  ri 
ver;  and  the  other  near  Morristown,  New 
Jersey. 

Winter  quarters  afforded  but  little  rest  to 
his  anxious  mind,  for  his  troops  were  desti 
tute  of  provisions, — so  much  so,  that  he  wrote 
to  Congress  that  at  one  lime  he  thought  it 
would  be  impossible  to  keep  them  together, 
for  they  had  to  eat  "  every  kind  of  horse  food 
but  hay;"  and  yet,  said  he,  "they  bore  it 
with  heroic  patience,  and  not  one  mutiny  was 
excited." 

A  considerable  force,  commanded  by  Sir 
Henry  Clinton,  was  sent  from  New  York  to 
the  southern  states,  and  was  actively  employed 
there  during  the  winter.  An  army  and  fleet 
attacked  Charleston,  which  was  bravely  de 
fended  by  General  Lincoln  and  a  few  troops ; 
but  the  power  of  their  enemies  could  not  be 
resisted  long,  and  Gen.  Lincoln  was  obliged 
to  surrender  to  them.  His  troops,  and  the  ci 
tizens  of  Charleston  who  had  given  their  aid 
to  defend  it,  were  considered  as  prisoners  of 


WASHINGTON.  127 

war.  The  success  of  the  English  induced 
their  commander  to  think  that  the  southern 
states  would  soon  be  reduced  to  submission  ; 
he  left  part  of  his  army  there,  under  the  com 
mand  of  General  Cornwallis,  and  returned 
with  the  rest  to  New  York. 

Cornwallis  continued  to  be  successful,  and 
addressed  the  inhabitants  of  Carolina,  to  in 
duce  them  to  submit  to  the  English  govern 
ment;  but  many  of  the  richest  inhabitants 
gave  up  their  property  and  went  into  banish 
ment  from  their  homes,  rather  than  remain 
upon  the  terms  offered  to  them. 

The  little  American  army  there  were  ac 
tive  in  their  brave  endeavours  to  stop  the  pro 
gress  of  the  invaders,  and  were  in  some  in 
stances  successful ;  but  Cornwallis  was  again 
assisted  by  an  addition  to  his  army  from  New 
York,  and  he  moved  on,  overpowering  all  op 
position. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

1780. 

THE  opening  of  the  ysar  1780  found  Wash 
ington  in  the  most  discouraging  circumstances. 
But,  though  he  was  "  walking  in  the  midst 


128  LIFE    OF 

of  troubles,"  he  was  not  forsaken  by  God,  and 
he  might  have  used  the  language  of  trust, 
"  Thou  wilt  revive  me :  thou  shall  stretch 
forth  thy  hand  against  the  wrath  of  our  ene 
mies,  and  thy  right  hand  shall  save  us." 

The  difficulty  of  obtaining  food,  and  the 
uncertainty  of  receiving  even  the  small  pay 
that  was  due  to  them,  had  greatly  depressed 
he  soldiers;  and  the  patience  of  some  was 
almost  worn  out.  Two  regiments  declared 
their  resolution  to  return  home,  and  it  was 
with  some  difficulty  they  \vere  prevented,  and 
induced  to  persevere  in  the  performance  of 
their  duty.  The  paper  money,  which  was 
the  only  kind  Congress  had  to  pay  them  with, 
was  becoming  every  day  less  in  value ;  and 
when  they  did  receive  it,  four  months'  pay  of 
a  soldier  would  not  purchase  a  bushel  of 
wheat  for  his  family ;  nor  would  the  pay  of 
an  officer  supply  him  with  the  shoes  he 
needed. 

The  discontent  which  was  arising  in  the 
army  was  known  by  the  English  commander 
in  New  York,  and  he  secretly  sent  into  their 
camp  a  paper,  which  contained  artful  persua 
sions  to  induce  the  discontented  to  give  up 
the  cause  in  which  they  had  suffered  so 
much.  He  thought,  too,  that  the  inhabitants 
of  the  surrounding  country  were  wearied  with 
endeavouring  to  supply  an  army  with  provi 
sions;  and  he  sent  five  thousand  men,  com 
manded  by  General  Knyphausen,  with  the 


WASHINGTON.  129 

expectation  that  they  would  not  meet  any  op 
position  from  the  people ;  and  that  some  por 
tion  of  the  American  soldiers  would  be  willing 
to  join  them. 

They  landed  at  night  at  Elizabethtown 
Point,  in  New  Jersey,  aid  marched  early  th* 
next  morning  towards  Springfield  ;  but  they 
soon  were  convinced  that  they  were  mistaken 
as  to  the  manner  in  which  they  would  be 
welcomed  by  the  inhabitants  and  the  army. 
On  the  first  appearance  of  the  confident  inva 
ders,  the  militia  of  the  state  assembled,  and 
though  their  number  was  not  sufficient  to  make 
a  stand  against  them  at  any  one  place,  they  did 
not  lose  sight  of  them,  but  made  irregular  at 
tacks  whenever  their  situation  would  admit  of 
doing  so. 

A  flourishing  settlement,  called  the  Con 
necticut  Farms,  was  entirely  reduced  to  ashes ; 
and  the  wife  of  the  clergyman,  who  was  sit 
ting  in  her  house  surrounded  by  her  children, 
was  shot  by  a  soldier  who  saw  her  through 
the  window.  This  savage  act  was  condemned 
by  his  commander,  but  it  had  the  effect  of 
rousing  all  the  people  to  resistance. 

The  same  day  on  which  the  English  march 
ed  from  Elizabethtown,  Washington  marched 
with  his  army  to  meet  them  near  Springfield, 
and  there  prepared  for  an  engagement ;  but 
the  enemy  retreated  in  the  night  to  the  place 
where  they  had  landed.  He  then  determined 
to  march  for  the  protection  of  the  forts  in  the 


130  LIFE    OF 

Highlands,  for  which  he  thought  the  British 
were  aiming;  but  soon  after  he  left  Morris- 
town,  the  enemy  moved  on  to  Springfield  and 
burned  it,  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of  General 
Greene,  whom  Washington  had  left  there 
with  a  thousand  men.  The  troops  of  Greene 
took  a  station  in  the  heights,  from  which  they 
could  annoy  the  army,  and  prevent  their  pro 
gress,  and  Sir  Henry  Clinton  returned  to  Sta 
ten  Island. 

When  General  Lafayette  returned  to  France, 
he  was  received  with  great  favour ;  and  that 
kind  and  faithful  friend  of  Americans  used  all 
his  influence  to  persuade  the  French  govern 
ment  to  send  them  assistance.  He  succeeded 
in  his  efforts ;  and  when  he  had  done  so,  as 
his  own  country  did  not  need  his  services,  he 
returned  to  America,  to  bring  the  tidings  that 
a  French  fleet  would  soon  sail  for  the  United 
States. 

Lafayette  was  received  by  his  friend  Wash 
ington  with  joy  and  affection.  He  had  deter 
mined  to  remain,  and  share  again  his  toils  and 
dangers  by  resuming  his  situation  in  the  army. 
He  was  welcomed  by  Congress  with  respect, 
and  they  immediately  began  to  make  more  ac 
tive  preparations  for  the  next  campaign,  in 
the  hope  that  it  would  be  the  last  one.  They 
called  upon  the  different  states  to  raise  more 
troops,  and  give  more  aid  to  provide  for  them. 
This  call  was  attended  to ;  but  the  expected 
aid  was  slowly  given.  A  number  of  citizens 


WASHINGTON.  131 

of  Philadelphia,  consulted  together  to  deter 
mine  on  the  most  effectual  way  in  which  they 
could  give  assistance.  An  extract  from  the 
resolution  they  formed,  will  show  their  plan  : 
"  We,  the  subscribers,  deeply  impressed  with 
the  sentiments  that  on  such  an  occasion  should 
govern  us,  in  the  prosecution  of  a  war,  on  the 
event  of  which  our  own  freedom,  and  that  of 
our  posterity,  and  the  freedom  and  indepen 
dence  of  the  United  States,  are  all  involved, 
hereby  severally  pledge  our  property  and  cre 
dit  for  the  several  sums  specified  and  mention 
ed  after  our  names,  in  order  to  support  the 
credit  of  a  bank,  to  be  established,  for  furnish 
ing  a  supply  of  provisions  for  the  armies 
of  the  United  States."  This  was  the  first 
bank  in  the  United  States,  and  the  amount 
of  the  subscription  to  it  was  three  hundred 
thousand  pounds.  Several  private  contribu 
tions  were  sent  to  the  suffering  troops  from 
individuals  ;  but  all  that  was  done  was  insuffi 
cient  for  the  relief  that  was  needed ;  and,  so 
late  as  the  last  of  June,  General  Washington 
wrote  to  Congress,  to  urge  them  to  further  ef 
forts,  and  show  them  the  great  necessity  for 
more  aid. 

The  state  of  his  army  caused  him  distress 
and  vexation.  He  felt  for  the  officers,  as  he 
knew  they  must  suffer  mortification  from  the 
exposure  of  their  condition  to  the  well  fed  and 
well  clothed  French  troops,  who  were  ex 
pected  soon  to  arrive.  He  said  in  his  letter 


132  LIFE    OF 

on  the  subject  to  Congress — "  For  the  trooos 
to  be  without  clothing,  at  any  time,  is  highly 
injurious  to  the  service  and  distressing  to  our 
feelings ;  but  the  want  will  be  more  peculiarly 
mortifying,  when  we  come  to  act  with  those 
of  our  allies.  It  is  most  sincerely  to  be  wish 
ed  that  there  could  be  some  supplies  of  cloth 
ing  furnished  to  the  officers.  There  are  a 
great  many  whose  condition  is  still  miserable. 
It  would  be  well  for  their  own  sakes,  and  for 
the  public  good,  if  they  could  be  furnished. 
They  will  not  be  able,  when  our  friends  come 
to  co-operate  with  us,  to  go  on  a  common  rou 
tine  of  duty ;  and  if  they  should,  they  must, 
from  their  appearance,  be  held  in  low  estima 
tion.5' 

This  picture  of  the  state  of  the  American 
army  shows  the  strength  of  the  patriotism 
which  influenced  them.  They  felt  severely, 
but  no  sufferings  could  induce  them  to  give  up 
a  cause  in  which  they  believed  they  were  ex 
ercising  virtuous  principles.  Gaining  a  vic 
tory  in  battle  might  have  caused  them  to  be 
loudly  praised  ;  but  their  patient  perseverance 
in  the  endurance  of  their  various  trials,  is 
much  more  worthy  of  remembrance  and  admi 
ration,  than  the  heroism  displayed  in  a  battle 
would  be. 

The  American  females  were  not  inactive  in 
that  time  of  need  ;  they  employed  themselves 
in  making  up  clothing  for  the  destitute  sol 
diers,  and  in  many  instances  denied  themselves 


WASHINGTON.  133 

the  use  of  comforts,  that  they  might  cast  a 
mite  into  this  treasury. 

Another  cause  for  anxious  care  was  given 
to  Washington,  in  the  uncertainty  of  the  num 
ber  of  troops  he  would  probably  have  under 
his  command  from  the  different  states.  It  was 
very  important  for  him  to  know  this,  in  form 
ing  his  plans  for  acting  with  the  French  fleet. 
In  writing  to  Congress  on  the  subject,  he  said 
— "  The  interest  of  the  states,  the  honour  and 
reputation  of  our  councils,  the  justice  and 
gratitude  due  to  our  allies — all  require  that  I 
should,  without  delay,  be  enabled  to  ascertain 
and  inform  them,  what  we  can  or  cannot  un 
dertake.  Delay  may  be  fatal  to  our  hopes." 
In  this  vexing  state  of  uncertainty,  he  did  not 
indulge  the  wayward  feeling  that  he  might  be 
less  active  in  the  performance  of  his  duty,  be 
cause  others,  who  were  as  much  concerned 
in  the  advantage  to  be  gained,  were  neglectful 
of  theirs,  lie  engaged  his  mind  in  forming 
various  plans,  with  the  hope  of  obtaining  the 
assistance  needful  for  executing  them.  He 
was  anxious  to  attempt  getting  possession  of 
New  York,  which  was  the  stronghold  of  the 
eiiemies  of  his  country  ;  and  feeble  as  the 
h>pe  of  success  was,  he  cherished  it. 

In  July  he  heard  that  the  French  fleet  had 
arrived  at  Rhode-Island  ;  and  it  was  neces 
sary  that  he  should  immediately  determine 
on  some  particular  plan  in  which  the  fleet 
could  give  assistance.  His  favourite  one  of 
M 


134  LIFE    OF 

attacking  New  York,  was  resolved  upon,  and 
he  wrote  to  Congress  his  determination.  Ge 
neral  Lafayette  carried  to  the  French  admi 
ral  the  plan  which  Washington  had  formed. 
A  day  in  August  was  appointed  on  which  it 
was  expected  the  fleet  might  sail  for  New 
York ;  and  the  American  army  was  to  assem 
ble  at  Morrisiana,  in  readiness  to  be  aided  by 
the  fleet  in  the  proposed  attack.  Before  the 
appointed  day  arrived,  a  British  fleet  came 
from  England,  which,  in  addition  to  that  al 
ready  at  New  York,  made  a  force  much 
greater  than  that  of  the  French  fleet,  which 
they  immediately  determined  to  attack,  as 
it  lay  before  Newport,  at  the  same  time  that 
Sir  Henry  Clinton  should  attack  that  town 
with  his  troops. 

When  General  Washington  heard  of  this 
plan,  he  sent  information  of  it  to  the  French 
admiral ;  and  resolved,  that  in  the  absence  of 
the  troops  who  were  to  leave  New  York,  he 
would  attempt  to  take  possession.  He  added 
to  his  army  all  the  troops  that  could  be 
spared  with  prudence  from  West  Point,  and 
was  marching  hastily  to  New  York,  when 
Sir  Henry  Clinton  suddenly  returned ;  he  had 
heard  such  accounts  of  the  situation  of  the  de 
fences  at  Newport,  that  he  had  given  up  his 
intention  to  attack  it.  Washington  and  his 
army  were  greatly  disappointed,  for  he  knew 
it  would  be  rash  to  attempt  attacking  the  city 
without  the  aid  of. a  fleet,  whea  it  was  so  well 


WASHINGTON.  135 

guarded  by  one ;  but  he  did  not  give  up  th<3 
hope  of  being  assisted,  and  wrote  to  the  French 
admiral  on  the  subject.  Several  letters  passed 
from  one  to  the  other,  but  they  concluded  that 
they  could  undertand  the  plan  better,  if  they 
saw  each  other  to  converse  on  it ;  they  agreed 
to  do  so,  and  General  Washington  went  to 
Hartford  in  Connecticut,  to  meet  the  admira 
n  the  twenty-first  day  of  September. 

While  he  was  absent,  the  fierce  but  artful 
passion  of  revenge  was  busy  in  the  heart  of  an 
American,  forming  a  plot  of  treason.  When 
the  English  had  left  Philadelphia,  General 
Arnold  was  placed  there  to  take  the  command, 
as  it  was  a  situation  in  which  he  could  have  the 
rest  which  seemed  to  be  necessary  for  the  reco 
very  of  the  wounds  which  he  had  received 
in  Canada.  His  courage  and  military  talent 
caused  him  to  be  highly  regarded  as  an  offi 
cer,  and  his  countrymen  were  desirous  that 
he  might  be  able  again  to  take  an  active  part 
in  the  war.  His  bodily  strength  was  soon 
restored;  but  the  integrity  of  his  mind  was 
feeble  :  and  he  who  had  endured  hardships 
with  bravery,  and  had  been  a  hero  in  battle, 
was  overcome  by  the  indulgence  of  ease,  and 
became  a  coward  in  his  resistance  of  tempta 
tions  to  the  practice  of  vice.  One  of  the 
many  patbs  which  are  on  the  "  broad  way 
that  leadeth  to  destruction,"  is  called  the  path 
of  pleasure.  Arnold,  who  had  toiled  through 
dangers,  and  fought  for  liberty  with  bravery 


136  LIFE    OF 

and  ardour,  entered  that  delusive  path,  and 
soon  became  the  slave  of  its  weakening  influ 
ence.  Whilst  his  former  companions  in  the 
field  of  battle  were  persevering  courageously 
in  the  defence  of  their  country,  and  suffering 
from,  the  want  of  food  and  clothing — he  was 
engaged  in  dissipation,  and  was  wasting  a  for 
tune  in  the  gratification  of  idle  vanity.  He 
became  involved  in  debt;  and  then  dishon 
estly  used  every  means  within  his  power,  to 
get  possession  of  the  property  of  others..  His 
ill  conduct  was  at  length  made  known  to  Con 
gress,  and  they  appointed  a  court  of  officers 
of  the  army,  to  examine  the  charges  brought 
against  him. 

His  accusers  had  no  difficulty  in  proving 
what  they  asserted,  and  the  court  sentenced 
him  to  receive  a  reproof  from  General  Wash 
ington;  which  they  considered  a  truly  severe 
punishment.  He  received  reproof  from  stern 
virtue  with  feelings  of  bitter  resentment. 
Vice  had  so  hardened  his  heart,  that  the  con 
sciousness  of  deserving  punishment  had  not 
the  effect  of  softening  it  to  repentance  ;  and 
to  plan  for  revenge  against  the  officers  who 
had  sentenced  him,  and  the  upright  and  noble 
man  who  had  reproved  him,  became  the  em 
ployment  of  his  thoughts. 

His  depraved  mind  could  readily  practise 
deception  ;  and  he  said  he  was  desirous  to  be 
again  placed  in  a  situation  to  be  useful  to  his 
country.  He  expressed  a  desire  so  frequently, 


WASHINGTON.  137 

and  with  such  seeming  sincerity,  that  Gene 
ral  Washington  offered  to  him  the  command 
of  a  division  of  the  army,  when  he  was  pre 
paring  to  attack  New  York,  in  the  absence  of 
Sir  Henry  Clinton.  Arnold  said  that  his 
wounds  had  rendered  him  too  feeble,  to  en 
gage  in  very  active  duties,  and  declined  accept 
ing  this  offer.  General  Washington  could  not 
feel  any  suspicions  of  his  resentful  intention; 
though  he  was  surprised  at  his  unwillingness- 
to  use  an  opportunity  for  recovering  the  fa 
vourable  opinion  of  the  public. 

The  state  of  New  York  was  particularly 
interested  in  the  safety  of  West  Point ;  and 
some  important  inhabitants  of  that  state,  who 
had  a  high  opinion  of  the  military  talents  of 
Arnold,  and  believed  him  to  be  faithful  in  his 
attachment  to  his  country,  applied  to  General 
Washington  to  place  him  there  ;  as  he  might 
be  very  useful  without  much  bodily  exertion. 
This  was  the  very  situation  which  Arnold  was 
anxious  to  obtain  ;  and  after  writing  to  Gene 
ral  Washington  on  the  subject,  he  went  to  the 
camp  to  see  him,  and  urge  the  request.  The 
General,  trusting  his  professions,  and  believing 
that  he  would  be  very  capable  of  performing 
the  military  duties  of  such  a  station,  gave  to 
him  the  command.  Rejoicing  that  he  had 
been  thus  far  successful  in  his  deceptive  plan, 
Arnold  informed  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  that  he 
was  anxious  to  return  to  his  duty  as  an  En 
glish  subject,  and  repented  having  violated  his 


138  LIFE    OF 

allegiance  to  his  king.  In  true  repentance 
there  is  always  a  desire  to  benefit  those  against 
whom  the  fault  has  been  committed ;  and 
Arnold  wished  to  make  his  profession  of  re- 
oeptance  seem  sincere,  by  offering  to  do  all 
ui  his  power  to  place  his  country  again  in  a 
state  of  dependence. 

When  he  went  to  West  Point,  he  wrote  to 
Sir  Henry,  that  he  would  manage  the  troops 
stationed  there,  so  that  he  might,  on  attacking 
them,  readily  make  them  his  prisoners,  or 
else  entirely  destroy  them.  The  English 
general  must  have  despised  and  distrusted  the 
traitor,  and  he  ought  to  have  scorned  the  pro 
posal  of  using  such  cowardly  means  for  sub 
duing  the  Americans  ;  but  to  get  possession 
of  West  Point  was  so  desirable,  that  he  gladly 
received  the  base  offer,  and  said  he  would  ap 
point  an  officer  to  correspond  with  Arnold  on 
the  subject. 

The  officer  chosen  for  this  degrading  duty 
was  Major  Andre.  He  was  young,  and  had 
been  expensively  educated,  and  his  disposition 
was  so  frank  and  amiable,  that  he  was  es 
teemed  by  all  who  became  acquainted  with 
him.  As  an  officer  he  was  brave  and  faithful, 
and  was  a  favourite  in  the  army.  His  friends 
were  strongly  and  tenderly  attached  to  him, 
and  felt  a  perfect  confidence  in  the  strength 
of  his  virtuous  principles.  But  the  foundation 
of  those  principles  was  a  wrong  one  ;  they 
were  placed  on  what  he  considered  to  be  the 


WASHINGTON.  139 

duty  he  owed  to  men,  and  not  on  that  which 
he  owed  to  God.  When  Sir  Henry  Clinton 
informed  him  of  the  employment  he  intended 
to  give  him,  he  consented  to  take  a  part  in 
deception  and  treachery,  and  by  doing  so,  lost 
his  claim  to  integrity. 

Several  letters  passed  between  Arnold  and 
Andre,  signed  by  the  feigned  names  of  Gus- 
tavus  and  Anderson ;  but  the  plan  of  treason 
could  not  be  safely  understood  without  some 
conversation  on  the  subject,  and  Arnold  sent 
a  pass,  or  written  permission  for  Andre  to  go 
in  the  character  of  a  person  on  business,  past 
the  guards  at  West  Point,  to  a  house  near  the 
oul-post,  where  he  promised  to  meet  him  :  in 
the  pass,  he  was  called  John  Anderson.  An 
English  sloop  of  war,  named  the  Vulture, 
was  sent  up  the  Hudson  to  take  Andre  as 
near  to  West  Point  as  possible,  without  the 
risk  of  exciting  suspicion.  He  was  rowed  in 
a  small  boat  to  the  shore,  and  arrived  in  safety 
at  the  place  appointed  by  Arnold.  Night  was 
chosen  to  veil  from  human  eyes  the  plottings 
of  treachery  ;  but  "  an  All-seeing  eye,"  to 
which  "  the  darkness  is  as  the  noon  day," 
ested  on  the  deluded  and  erring  Andre.  And 
a  power,  from  which  no  human  strength  or 
wisdom  can  deliver,  was  preparing  a  dreadful 
punishment  for  his  wanderings  from  the  path 
of  virtue. 

The  night  was  spent  in  deeply  interesting 
conversation,  and  the  morning  dawned  before 


140  LIFE    OF 

all  the  parts  of  the  dark  plot  were  well  under 
stood.  Andre  could  not  return  to  the  vessel 
by  the  light  of  day,  with  any  hope  of  safety  ; 
and  Arnold  assured  him  that  he  could  conceal 
him  until  night,  and  for  this  purpose  took 
him  within  the  posts,  and  remained  with  him 
all  day.  The  Vulture  had  heen  noticed  from 
the  fort,  and  fired  on,  and  the  commander 
thought  it  necessary  to  move  to  a  greater  dis 
tance  down  the  yiver.  When  daylight  had 
again  faded  from  the  sky,  and  the  hour  of  dark 
ness  had  come,  for  which  no  doubt  Andre 
had  anxiously  watched,  he  left  his  place  of 
concealment,  and  expected  to  be  quickly  con 
veyed  to  the  vessel  from  which  he  had  come 
the  night  before  ;  but  it  was  removed  to  so 
great  a  distance,  that  he  could  not  prevail  on 
any  boatman  to  take  him  to  it,  and  Arnold 
did  not  dare  to  aid  him  in  persuading  them. 

Sadly  perplexed,  Andre  was  obliged  at 
length  to  determine  on  passing  to  New  York 
by  land.  This  was  a  perilous  attempt ;  for 
parties  of  militia  were  employed  in  watching 
all  the  roads  leading  from  the  Highlands  to 
that  city.  Arnold  insisted  on  his  changing  his 
dress  for  a  plain  one,  and  wrote  a  pass  for 
him,  desiring  the  guards  and  militia  to  "  per 
mit  John  Anderson  to  go  to  the  White  Plains, 
on  business  of  great  importance." 

With  this  permit  he  passed  all  the  out- 
guards  with  safety ;  and  was  riding  on  with 
a  feeling  of  security,  when  near  to  Tarry  town, 


WASHINGTON.  141 

a  young  man  sprung  from  a  thicket  by  the 
road  side,  and  seized  the  bridle  of.  his  horse 
In  the  first  practice  of  deception  an  ingenuous 
mind  is  timid  ;  and  Andre,  though  brave  when 
acting  truly,  became  a  coward  when  he  was 
conscious  that  he  was  a  deceiver.  He  forgot 
his  pass  in  the  moment  of  need,  and  in  a  hur 
ried  tone  of  alarm,  asked  the  man  where  he 
was  from?  "  From  below,"  was  the  reply; 
and  supposing  this  meant  from  New  York, 
Andre  said  hastily,  "  So  am  I ;"  and  added, 
that  he  was  a  British  officer,  who  was  going  on 
important  business,  and  begged  that  he  might 
not  be  detained  a  moment.  Two  more  young 
men  then  came  from  the  woods ;  and  he  dis 
covered  too  late  that  they  all  were  Ameri 
cans  :  their  names  were  David  Williams,  John 
Paulding,  and  Isaac  Vanwert.  He  offered  to 
give  them  his  valuable  watch,  a  purse  of  gold, 
and  the  promise  of  a  large  reward  from  the 
English  commander,  if  they  would  allow  h'm 
to  pass. 

All  his  offers  were  disregarded,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  submit  to  be  searched.  The  pa 
pers  he  had  received  from  Arnold  were  in  his 
boots ;  his  captors  took  possession  of  them, 
and  conducted  him  to  a  militia  officer  named 
Jameson.  Andre,  anxious  for  the  safety  of 
Arnold,  asserted  to  Jameson  that  his  name 
was  John  Anderson,  and  requested  him  to 
send  immediately  to  West  Point,  and  inform 
General  Arnold  that  he  was  there.  Jameson 


14'?-  LIFE    OF 

could  not  believe  that  Arnold  was  connected 
with  Andre  in  a  plot  of  treachery,  and  he  im 
mediately  complied  with  his  request.  When 
Andre  thought  that  Arnold  had  time  to  escape, 
he  again  acknowledged  his  real  character ; 
and  Jameson  sent  an  express  to  Gen.  Wash 
ington,  with  the  papers  that  had  been  found 
in  Andre's  boots  ;  and  Andre  wrote  to  him  an 
account  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been 
captured,  and  the  reason  of  his  being  dis 
guised. 

General  Washington  was  returning  from 
Hartford,  and  the  express  took  a  road  differ 
ent  from  that  on  which  he  was  travelling,  and 
thus  missed  him.  He  had  sent  to  inform  Ar 
nold  that  he  would  be  at  West  Point  to  break 
fast  ;  but  stopping  to  examine  some  of  the  im 
portant  passes  in  the  mountains,  he  was  de 
tained  later  than  he  expected.  Several  officers, 
in  expectation  of  seeing  their  loved  comman 
der,  were  breakfasting  with  Arnold,  when 
he  received  a  letter  from  Jameson  informing 
him  of  the  capture  of  John  Anderson.  With 
an  appearance  of  calmness,  he  rose  and  left 
the  room ;  but  his  wife  saw  a  change  in  his 
countenance  and  followed  him.  With  a  few 
hasty  words,  he  told  her  of  his  danger,  and 
left  her,  to  return  to  -the  breakfast  room.  He 
made  an  excuse  for  leaving  the  officers  so 
hastily,  by  telling  them  that  he  had  forgotten 
to  give  some  orders  which  were  needful  for 
receiving  the  commander-in-chief  with  the  re- 


WASHINGTON.  143 

«pect  due  to  him,  and  that  he  must  immediate- 
'y  attend  to  this  duty. 

He  was  quickly  down  on  the  shore,  and 
ordered  a  sergeant  and  six  men  to  enter  a 
boat,  and  row  him  immediately  to  the  sloop 
Vulture,  which  still  was  at  anchor  below  the 
fort.  The  sergeant  did  not  hesitate  one  mo 
ment,  for  he  thought  that  General  Arnold  was 
going  with  a  flag  of  truce,  on  business  of  im 
portance  to  the  American  cause,  and  he  soon 
placed  him  on  board  of  the  vessel.  When 
Arnold  felt  himself  safe,  he  told  the  sergeant 
that  he  did  not  intend  to  return,  as  he  had  de 
termined  to  enter  the  service  of  the  king  of 
England,  and  he  endeavored  to  persuade  him 
to  do  the  same.  The  sergeant  and  his  men 
answered,  that  "  If  General  Arnold  liked  the 
king  of  England,  he  might  serve  him ;  but 
they  loved  their  country  better,  and  intended 
to  live  and  die  in  the  support  of  its  indepen 
dence."  Arnold  then  proposed  to  the  com 
mander  of  the  Vulture  to  detain  the  men  as 
prisoners;  but  he  would  not  consent  to  so 
disgraceful  an  act. 

By  the  time  that  General  Washington  ar- 
-ived  at  West  Point,  the  plan  of  treachery 
was  known ;  but  it  was  too  late  to  secure  the 
traitor.  He  requested  to  see  Mrs.  Arnold,  and 
found  her  in  a  state  of  extreme  distress.  She 
v>egged  him  not  to  injure  her,  and  was  so  vio* 
'ent  in  her  feelings  that  he  found  it  was  vain 
to  attempt  to  calm  her  by  assuring  her  that  she 


144  LIFE    OF 

should  be  treated  with  kindness  and  respect. 
He  left  her  in  the  care  of  her  female  servant, 
and  sent  for  an  officer  whom  he  knew  was 
strongly  attached  to  Arnold,  arid  who  com 
manded  one  of  the  most  important  posts  in  the 
Highlands.  When  the  officer  came,  Wash 
ington  said  to  him,  "Colonel,  we  have  been 
deceived,  Arnold  is  a  traitor ;  your  post  may 
be  attacked  to-night ;  go  back  to  it  without 
delay,  and  defend  it  bravely,  as  I  know  you 
will."  This  generous  confidence  excited  the 
feelings  of  the  officer  so  much,  that  for  some 
moments  he  was  unable  to  reply ;  but  when 
he  could  speak,  he  said,  "  Your  excellency 
has  more  than  rewarded  all  that  I  have  done, 
or  ever  could  do  for  my  country." 

Arnold  wrote  to  General  Washington  by  the 
return  of  the  boat  which  had  conveyed  him  to 
the  vessel.  The  daring  insolence  of  his  let 
ter  raised  a  glow  on  the  cheek  of  Washing 
ton,  but  the  first  words  he  spoke  after  reading 
it,  were  dictated  by  the  benevolent  feelings  of 
his  heart.  He  desired  that  Mrs.  Arnold  might 
be  relieved  from  her  fears  for  the  safety  of  her 
husband,  by  being  told  that  he  was  secure 
from  pursuit.  Preparations  were  made  for  the 
defence  of  West  Point,  in  case  the  enemy 
should  attack  it ;  but  Sir  Henry  Clinton  would 
not  venture  to  make  the  attempt,  when  .  he 
eould  not  be  aided  by  the  treason  of  its  com 
mander. 

When  the  fate   of  Andre  was  to  be  dete 


WASHINGTON.  145 

mined,  the  general  officers  of  the  army  met  to 
examine  him,  and  inquire  into  all  the  circum 
stances  attending  the  dark  plot  in  which  he 
had  been  engaged,  that  they  might  judge  whe 
ther  he  must  be  considered  as  a  spy.  He  was 
treated  with  great  tenderness,  and  was  told 
that  he  might  refuse  to  reply  to  any  ques 
tions  that  would  lead  to  his  condemnation ; 
but  his  mind,  which  had  no  doubt  been  en 
gaged  in  solemn  reflection,  could  no  longer 
willingly  practise  deception,  and  he  acknow 
ledged  the  part  he  had  been  acting,  so  that  it 
was  not  necessary  to  examine  one  witness. 

"With  the  hope  of  forming  some  excuse  for 
him,  it  was  said  that  he  had  gone  to  West 
Point  with  a  flag  of  truce.  He  was  asked  if 
this  was  true  ;  he  replied,  "  Had  I  come  with 
a  flag,  I  might  have  returned  with  a  flag." 
An  American  officer,  who  had  a  hope  that  he 
might  yet  be  saved  from  condemnation,  began: 
to  say  to  him  that  perhaps  he  might  be  ex 
changed  for  Arnold, — "  Stop,"  said  Andre,. 
"  such  a  proposal  can  never  come  from  me>" 
All  the  circumstances  which  he  confessed,  led 
the  officers  to  determine  that  he  deserved  the 
character  of  a  spy,  and  death  is  the  sentence 
which  the  stern  laws  of  war  pass  upon  such 
a  character. 

Universal   sorrow  was  felt  for  the  sad  and 

disgraceful  close  of  life  to  which  this  young 

officer  was  brought  by  his  departure  from  the 

path  of  rectitude.     General  Washington,  in  a- 

N 


146  LIFE    OF 

private  letter,  expressed  his  estimation  of  the 
character  of  Andre  ;  and  perhaps  never  per 
formed  with  so  much  reluctance  any  painful 
duty,  as  he  did  that  of  signing  his  sentence  of 
death.  This  sentence  was  executed  soon  af 
ter,  when  Andre  was  hung,  according  to  the 
usage  of  war  in  such  cases.  Arnold  wrote 
several  letters  on  the  subject  to  General  Wash 
ington,  but  he  did  not  notice  them  ;  and  di 
rected  that  his  baggage  should  all  be  sent  to 
him,  and  that  Mrs.  Arnold  should  be  carefully 
conducted  to  New  York,  where  he  was. 

We  are  so  ready  to  forget  how  unbounded 
-and  wonderful  the  power  of  God  is,  that  we 
think  and  speak  of  events,  which  we  consider 
trifling,  as  if  they  were  not  directed  by  him  ; 
but  to  say  that  any  event  happens  "  by 
chance,"''  or  "by  accident,"  has  no  meaning, 
unless  chance  and  accident  are  used  as  names 
for  the  secret  workings  of  Divine  power, 
which  overrules  the  smallest  occurrence  as 
certainly  as  the  greatest  event.  In  every  cir 
cumstance  connected  with  Arnold's  plot  of 
treason,  might  be  traced  that  Providence 
which  can  make  the  smallest  accident  defeat 
the  wisest  plans  of  man;  and  prove  that  "  A 
man's  heart  deviseth  his  way,  buj^the  Lorddi- 
recteth  his  steps." 

The  disappointed  baseness  of  Arnold  was 
made,  by  Him  who  ruleth  all  things,  to  be 
useful  to  his  country.  Arnold  sent  addresses 
to  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  American 


WASHINGTON.  147 

army,  to  persuade  them  to  follow  his  example , 
assuring  them  that  if  they  did  so,  they  would 
be  liberally  rewarded.  These  addresses  had 
the  effect  of  uniting  the  Americans  more  firm 
ly  than  ever  ;  and  the  indignation  which  they 
felt,  animated  them  to  more  exertions  to  prove 
that  they  were  determined  to  persevere  in 
the  defence  of  their  country,  and  despised  the 
man  who  had  forsaken  the  cause  of  freedom. 

Arnold  was  the  only  American  officer  who. 
through  all  the  coi^se  of  the  war,  deserved 
the  name  of  traitor ;  and  he  most  truly  merit 
ed  it;  for,  after  he  had  joined  himself  to  the 
enemies  of  his  country,  he  was  active  in  his 
endeavours  to  plan  and  perform  deeds  that 
would  be  most  likely  to  injure  it,  and  cause 
distress  to  his  countrymen  ;  but  those  endea 
vours  were  made  to  produce  good  for  those 
against  whom  they  were  directed. 

The  account  which  he  gave  to  Sir  Henry 
Clinton  of  the  weak  and  suffering  state  of  the 
American  army,  caused  him  to  feel  a  security 
and  confidence  in  his  own  strength,  which  in 
several  instances  was  advantageous  to  them. 
It  has  been  said,  that  when  all  "  the  probable 
consequences  of  his  plot,  had  it  been  success 
ful,  came  to  be  considered,  and  the  seeming 
accidents  by  which  it  was  discovered  and  de 
feated,  all  were  filled  with  a  kind  of  awful  as 
tonishment,  and  the  devout  perceived  in  the 
transaction  the  hand  of  Providence  guiding 
America  to  independence." 


148  LIFE    OF 


CHAPTER    VII. 

1780—1781. 

IN  his  conversation  with  the  French  admi 
ral  at  Hartford,  General  Washington  had  been 
convinced  that  he  must  give  up  his  favourite 
plan  of  attacking  New  York  that  season.  The 
admiral  told  him  that  he  expected  an  addition 
to  his  fleet ;  but  that  until  it  arrived,  he  had 
not  a  force  which  he  considered  sufficient  to 
meet  the  English  fleet,  with  any  probability  of 
success,  in  an  action.  The  two  armies  con 
tinued  merely  watching  each  other,  until  the 
time  arrived  for  going  into  winter  quarters  ; 
and  the  Americans  were  then  stationed  near 
Morristown,  and  on  the  borders  of  New  York 
and  New  Jersey.  The  troops  belonging  to  the 
New  England  states  were  placed  at  West 
Point,  and  on  both  sides  of  the  river  Hudson. 

The  scenery  of  West  Point  and  its  neigh 
bourhood  is  beautifully  wild  ;  and  is  rendered 
very  interesting,  by  Washington  having  win 
tered  there  in  that  gloomy  period  of  the  revo- 
ution.  Nearly  six  hundred  feet  above  the 
Hudson  river,  are  the  ruins  of  Fort  Putnam, 
which  commanded  the  river  below  and  above, 
and  also  a  passagewhich  opens  in  the  moun 
tain.  The  large  stones  of  which  the  fort  was 
constructed,  it  is  said,  were  carried  up  the 
steep  path  by  men.  On  some  of  the  hills  are 


WASHINGTON.  149 

remains  of  huts  which  were  used  by  the  army. 
From  a  bank  Hows  a  remarkably  cold  and  clear 
spring1,  which  is  (jteeply  shaded  by  trees  and 
is  called  Washington's  spring.  The  old  in 
habitants  of  the  surrounding  country,  who  re 
membered  the  time  when  their  defenders  were 
encamped  on  it,  delighted  afterwards  to  lead 
strangers  to  notice  a  spring,  the  refreshing 
water  of  which  was  daily  used  by  their  revered 
protector.  The  season  was  too  severely  cold 
to  admit  of  a  winter  campaign,  with  troops  al 
most  destitute  of  clothing;  and  while  they  were 
in  winter  quarters,  and  the  never-idle  Wash 
ington  was  engaged  in  preparing  for  employ 
ing  them  as  soon  as  possible,  the  sad  work 
of  war  was  going  on  in  the  southern  States. 
General  Cornwallis,  who  had  been  left  there 
with  an  army,  had,  on  the  16th  August,  at 
tacked  the  Americans  at  Camden,  and  almost 
entirely  defeated  them.  He  then  seemed  to 
consider  South  Carolina  as  a  conquered  state, 
and  all  the  efforts  that  were  made  to  resist 
him,  he  called  "  acts  of  rebellion,"  and  gave 
orders  that  all  persons  who  were  found  op 
posing  the  authority  of  the  king  of  England, 
should  have  their  property  destroyed,  and  be 
treated  with  the  greatest  severity. 

Some  of  the  Americans  had  joined  the  En 
glish  army,  and  Cornwallis  heard  that  there 
were  others  in  the  back  part  of  the  state  of 
North  Carolina,  who  were  willing  to  do  so  ; 
and  he  sent  Major  Ferguson  with  troops,  to- 

N2 


150  LIFE    OF 

unite  with  them  in  resisting  and  attacking  all 
who  continued  faithful  to  the  cause  of  inde 
pendence. 

Colonel  Clarke,  an  American,  who  had  left 
his  home,  in  Georgia,  when  the  English  took 
possession  of  that  state,  collected  a  small 
company  and  attacked  Augusta  ;  the  English 
troops  there  were  soon  aided  by  an  additional 
force,  and  Colonel  Clarke  retreated  to  the 
mountains.  Ferguson  heard  of  this,  and  re 
solved  to  stop  him  and  his  brave  little  band  ; 
but  some  hardy  mountaineers,  from  the  west 
ern  parts  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  as 
sembled  quickly,  and  were  joined  by  some 
militia  from  South  Carolina.  They  marched 
rapidly  towards  Ferguson,  who  was  posted 
on  King's  Mountain,  and  they  attacked  him 
so  bravely,  that  in  a  short  time  his  troops 
were  entirely  defeated.  Ferguson  was  killed  : 
three  hundred  of  his  party  killed  or  wounded, 
;and  eight  hundred  made  prisoners.  One 
thousand  five  hundred  stand  of  arms  were 
taken.  The  result  of  this  attack  was  very  im 
portant,— for  the  disaffected  Americans  who 
escaped  did  not  return  to  Cornwallis,  and  this 
loss  obliged  him  to  retreat  out  of  North  Caro 
lina,  where  he  had  expected  to  be  very  suc 
cessful. 

He  marched  his  army  to  Camden,  to  wait 
for  more  troops  from  New  York,  which  Si" 
Henry  Clinton  was  to  send  to  him.  While  his 
.-army  were  encamped,  near  Camden,  he  was 


WASHINGTON.  151 

obliged  to  detach  parties  of  it  to  endeavour 
to  defeat  an  American  officer  named  Marion, 
who  had  a  few  brave  men  under  his  command. 
They  sometimes  concealed  themselves  in 
swamps  and  wood  thickets,  from  which  they 
rushed  out  when  any  opportunity  occurred  for 
an  attack  on  the  enemies  of  their  country  ;  01 
when  they  could  defend  the  helpless  families 
from  which  those  foes  were  forcing  provisions 
An  anecdote  of  Marion  will  serve  to  show  his 
truly  patriotic  motives  for  enduring  with  pa 
tient  fortitude  the  dangers  and  sufferings  to 
which  he  was  exposed,  by  persevering  in  his 
resistance  of  Cornwallis. 

An  English  officer  was  sent  to  him  to  make 
some  proposals  for  an  exchange  of  prisoners  ; 
he  received  the  officer  with  civility,  and  after 
they  had  settled  the  business  on  which  he 
came,  Marion  invited  him  to  stay  and  take 
dinner  with  him.  At  the  name  of  dinner,  the 
officer  felt  surprised  ;  for  on  looking  round, 
he  saw  no  appearance  of  any  provisions,  nor 
of  any  place  for  preparing  food.  A  few  sun 
burnt  militiamen  were  sitting  on  some-  old 
tree  stumps,  with  their  powderhorns  lying 
beside  them,  and  Marion  looked  as  if  he  had 
suffered  from  hunger. 

The  officer  said  he  would  accept  his  invi 
tation  ;  feeling  curious,  no  doubt,  to  know 
where  the  dinner  was  to  come  from.  "  Weil, 
Tom,"  said  Marion  to  one  of  his  men,  "  come, 
give  us  our  dinner."  Tom  took  a  pine  stick, 


152  LIFE    OF 

and  with  it  drew  out  some  sweet  potatoes 
from  a  heap  of  ashes,  under  which  they  had 
been  placed  to  be  roasted.  He  cleaned  them 
first  by  blowing  the  ashes  from  them  with  his 
breath,  and  then  by  wiping  them  with  the 
sleeve  of  his  homespun  shirt ;  and  piling  them 
on  a  piece  of  bark,  he  placed  them  between 
the  English  officer  and  Marion,  on  the  trunk 
of  the  fallen  pine  tree  on  which  they  sat.  The 
officer  took  one  of  the  potatoes,  and  while  he 
was  eating  it,  began  to  laugh  heartily.  Marion 
looked  surprised. 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  the  officer,  **  but  I  was 
thinking  how  drolly  some  of  my  brother 
officers  would  look,  if  their  government  was 
to  provide  them  with  such  dinners.  But,  no 
doubt,  in  general,  you  fare  better?"  "  Rather 
worse,"  replied  Marion,  "  for  often  we  have 
not  enough  potatoes  to  satisfy  our  hunger." 
"  Then,  no  doubt,  though  you  are  stinted  in 
provisions,  you  draw  good  pay,"  said  the 
officer.  "  Not  one  cent,"  replied  Marion. 
"  Then  I  do  not  see,"  said  the  officer,  "  how 
you  can  stand  it."  "  These  things  depend  on 
feeling,"  said  Marion,  "  and  I  am  happy.  I 
would  rather  fight  to  obtain  the  blessing  of 
freedom  for  my  country,  and  feed  on  roots,  than 
desert  the  cause,  and  gain  by  doing  so,  all  the 
luxuries  that  Solomon  owned." 

When  the  officer  returned  to  his  commander 
he  was  asked  why  he  looked  so  serious. — "  ] 
have  cause,  sir,  to  look  so,"  was  his  reply 


WASHINGTON.  1 53 

k  Why,"  said  his  commander,  in  alarm,  "  has 
Washington  defeated  Sir  Henry  Clinton  ?' 
"  No,  sir;  but  more  than  that.  I  have  seen 
an  American  general  and  his  men  without  pay, 
and  almost  without  clothes,  living  upon  roots, 
and  drinking  water,  and  all  for  liberty.  What 
chance  have  we  against  such  men  ?" 

Cornwallis  employed  a  very  active  officer, 
Colonel  Tarlton,  to  draw  Marion  and  his 
fe\v  followers  from  their  secure  retreats  ;  but 
he  did  not  succeed,  and  he  took  his  revenge  on 
the  surrounding  country  by  plundering  the  in 
habitants.  He  was  drawn  from  this  work  by 
hearing  of  the  appearance  of  the  American 
general,  Sumpter,  who,  with  a  company  of  mi 
litia,  was  approaching  in  an  opposite  direction. 
Sumpter  had  been  a  very  active  officer,  but 
Cornwallis  thought  that  he  was  entirely  van 
quished,  and  was  greatly  surprised  to  hear  of  his 
being  again  at  the  head  of  a  respectable  force. 
He  immediately  determined  to  attack  him 
in  his  camp,  on  Broad  river,  and  sent  a  de 
tachment  from  his  army,  commanded  by  Ma 
jor  Wemyss,  for  that  purpose,  which  arrived 
several  hours  before  day,  and  made  the  attack 
with  vigour  ;  but  Sumpter  quickly  drew  his 
men  into  order,  and  they  defended  themselves 
so  bravely,  that  their  enemies  were  soon 
forced  to  retreat,  with  the  loss  of  their  com 
mander.  Sumpter  then  changed  his  situation, 
and  Cornwallis  directed  Tarlton  to  follow  and 
attack  him. 


154  LIFE    OF 

Sumptei  was  placed  with  his  troops  on  a 
steep  hill,  near  the  Tiger  river,  when  Tarl- 
ton  rashly  attacked  them,  and  was  soon 
obliged  to  retire,  in  haste  and  disorder,  leaving 
nearly  two  hundred  men  killed  or  wounded 
on  the  field.  The  loss  of  the  Americans  was 
three  killed  and  four  wounded.  General 
Sumpter  was  severely  wounded,  and  as  he 
knew  that  it  was  probable  Cornwallis  would 
send  a  very  powerful  force  against  him,  he 
thought  it  most  prudent  to  disperse  his  men, 
and  wait  until  his  wound  was  healed  to  call 
them  together  again.  For  such  was  the  spi 
rit  which  animated  men  who  were  struggling 
for  freedom  that  no  desertion  was  feared. 
They  came  forth  for  the  defence  of  their 
houses  and  families,  and  were  ready  to  return 
whenever  their  services  were  needed. 

The  regular  southern  army  was  at  that  time 
very  small,  and  the  state  of  it  was  well  de 
scribed  by  Washington,  in  a  letter  to  a  friend, 
when  he  appointed  General  Greene  to  take 
the  command  of  it ;  he  wrote,  "  You  have 
your  wish  in  the  officer  appointed  to  the 
southern  command.  I  think  I  am  giving  you 
a  general  :  but  what  can  a  general  do  without 
men,  without  arms,  without  clothing,  without 
stores,  without  provisions  ?" 

In  December  General  Greene  joined  the 
army  at  Charlotte,  in  South  Carolina;  the 
whole  number  of  troops  placed  under  his  com 
mand,  did  not  amount  to  many  more  than  two 


WASHINGTON.  155 

thousand,  a  greater  part  of  whom  were  mili 
tia.  He  separated  them  into  two  divisions, 
and  gave  the  command  of  one  to  General  Mor 
gan,  and  directed  him  to  move  to  the  south 
side  of  the  Catawba  river,  while  he  inarched 
down  to  the  Pedee  river,  to  encamp  on  the 
east  side  of  it. 

Thus  situated,  the  army  of  Cornwallis  lay 
between  them,  and  he  determined  to  attack 
one  of  them,  but  wished  to  leave  it  uncertain, 
as  long  as  possible,  which  he  would  march 
against.  Additional  troops  had  been  sent  from 
New  York,  and  were  on  their  march  to  Cam- 
den.  Cornwallis  put  his  army  in  motion, 
and  directed  its  course  towards  North  Carolina, 
ordering  the  new  troops  to  join  him  at  the  Ca 
tawba  river,  and  charging  Tarlton  to  move 
rapidly  with  a  large  detachment  against  Mor 
gan,  to  "push  him  to  the  utmost,  and,  at  ail 
events,  drive  him  over  Broad  river;"  expect 
ing,  that  if  .he  escaped  Tarlton,  he  would  be 
met  and  defeated  by  the  main  body  of  the 
army. 

A  sudden  swelling  of  the  streams,  which 
the  'army  had  to  pass,  delayed  it  a  much 
longer  time  than  Cornwallis  had  calculated 
for ;  and  also  prevented  the  new  troops  from 
joining  him  at  the  place  he  ha'd  appointed. 
Tarlton  was  more  active  with  his  troops,  and 
reached  Morgan  before  Cornwallis  had  arrived 
at  the  situation  in  which  he  intended  to  slop 
him.  if  he  was  forced  to  retreat. 


156  LIFE    OF 

General  Morgan  heard  of  these  movements 
of  his  enemies,  and  knowing  that  his  situation 
was  a  very  dangerous  one,  he  crossed  the  Pa- 
colet  river,  and  placed  his  men  at  the  fording 
place,  to  defend  it;  but  he  soon  heard  that  his 
pursuers  had  crossed  the  river  six  miles  higher 
op,  and  he  then  quickly  retreated  to  a  spot 
amongst  the  pines,  called  the  Cowpens.  Halt 
ing  there,  Morgan  consulted  the  officers  of 
his  little  army  as  to  the  course  of  conduct  that 
ought  to  be  determined  on,  and  they  resolved 
to  remain  there  and  wait  for  the  attack  of  their 
foes.  They  placed  their  troops  on  a  piece  of 
rising  ground,  in  an  open  wood,  and  waited 
with  firmness  for  their  pursuers,  who  very 
soon  made  their  appearance,  and  advanced 
perfectly  confident  that  they  should  be  victo 
rious.  This  was  on  the  17th  January,  1781. 

Morgan  and  his  officers  gave  their  orders 
with  so  much  calm  judgment,  and  the  soldiers 
attended  to  them  so  obediently  and  courage 
ously,  that  Tarlton  and  his  confident  troops 
were  driven  back,  and  forced  to  fly,  closely 
followed  by  the  Americans,  who  made  priso 
ners  of  five  hundred  of  the  soldiers  and  twen 
ty-nine  of  their  officers.  They  got  possession, 
also,  of  eight  hundred  muskets,  thirty-five 
baggage  wagons,  and  a  hundred  horses.  The 
Americans  had  less  than  eighty  in  killed  and 
wounded.  In  this  battle  was  Lieutenant-Co 
lonel  Washington,  who,  when  a  captain,  be 
haved  so  bravely  at  the  battle  of  Trenton.  In 


WASHINGTON.  157 

the  haste  of  pursuit  he  was  separated  from  his 
regiment.  Three  English  officers,  one  of 
whom  was  Tarlton,  seeing  this,  turned  quick 
ly  and  attacked  him.  One  aimed  a  blow  at 
him,  which  was  turned  aside  by  a  sergeant, 
who  rushed  forward  to  his  aid.  At  the  same 
moment  the  second  officer  made  a  stroke  at 
him,  but  a  young  lad,  who  was  too  small  to 
hold  a  sword,  wounded  the  officer  with  a  pis 
tol,  and  thus  saved  Colonel  Washington,  who 
was  engaged  defending  himself  against  Tarl 
ton,  who,  finding  that  he  could  not  succeed  in 
his  attack,  turned  to  fly,  and  discharged  a  pis 
tol,  which  wounded  the  horse  of  Col.  Wash 
ington,  but  did  not  injure  him. 

Tarlton,  in  this  personal  conflict,  received 
from  Washington  a  wound  in  the  hand ;  and 
it  has  been  related,  that  he  said  to  an  American 
lady  of  Charleston,  some  time  afterwards. 
"You  appear  to  think  very  highly  of  Col. 
Washington;  and  yet,  I  have  been  told,  that  he 
is  so  ignorant  a  fellow,  that  he  can  hardly  write 
his  own  name."  To  this  silly  insinuation  she 
replied,  "  It  may  be  the  case,  but  no  man  can 
testify  better  than  yourself,  Colonel,  that  he 
knows  how  to  make  his  mark." 

Tarlton  retreated  with  speed  from  the  Cow 
pens,  and  did  not  stop  until  he  readied  the 
army  of  Cornwallis,  which  was  at  a  distance 
of  about  twenty-five  miles. 

This  victory  was  a  very  important  one  to 
the  American  cause  ;  for,  if  Morgan's  army 


158  LIFE    OF 

had  been  defeated,  Cornwallis  would  probably 
have  attacked  General  Greene's  with  all  his 
force,  and  no  doubt  with  success,  as  his 
troops  were  so  numerous  ;  and  then  all  the 
southern  states  would  have  been  in  his  pos 
session. 

The  day  after  the  battle  the  troops  which 
Cornwallis  had  directed  to  join  him  arrived, 
and  early  the  next  morning  he  put  all  his 
army  in  motion,  determining  to  attack  Mor 
gan  with  a  force  that  would  certainly  destroy 
him.  General  Morgan  marched  quickly  to 
wards  the  Catawba  river,  and  had  crossed  it 
only  two  hours  before  the  English  army 
reached  its  banks.  As  night  was  near,  Corn 
wallis  resolved  not  to  attempt  crossing  the  ri 
ver  until  the  day  should  dawn ;  but  when  the 
dawn  came,  that  gracious  hand,  which  was 
conducting  the  Americans  to  independence 
through  scenes  of  trial,  had  placed  a  barrier 
between  Cornwallis  and  his  expected  prey, 
which  all  his  power  and  wisdom  could  not 
enable  him  to  overcome.  A  rain  fell  during 
the  night,  which  seemed  to  be  too  trifling  to 
make  any  increase  in  the  depth  of  the  river, 
but  it  was  rendered  impassable,  and  continued 
to  be  so  for  two  days. 

This  providential  delay  of  his  pursuers, 
gave  Morgan  time  to  place  his  prisoners  in  a 
state  of  security,  with  the  arms  and  stores 
which  he  had  taken,  and  to  refresh  his  wearied 
troops. 


WASHINGTON.  1 59 

General  Greene,  on  hearing  of  the  battle  at 
the  Cowpens,  was  anxious  to  unite  the  two 
divisions  of  his  army,  and  he  travelled  h^sti'j 
to  join  General  Morgan  and  aid  him  by  his 
counsel,  leaving  the  other  division  of  his  army 
under  the  command  of  General  Huger. 

When  the  swell  of  the  waters  had  abated 
so  that  Cornwallis  could  cross  the  Catawba, 
he  did  so,  and  continued  a  rapid  pursuit  of  the 
Americans,  who  were  marching  towards  the 
Yadkin  river,  which  they  crossed  on  the  2d 
February,  partly  on  flats,  and  partly  by  ford 
ing  it,  and  had  only  time  to  secure  all  the  flats 
from  being  used  by  their  pursuers,  when  they 
appeared  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river. 
Again  the  waters  were  commanded  to  aid  the 
Americans,  and,  before  their  foes  could  prepare 
boats  or  flats  to  cross  the  Yadkin,  a  heavy  rain 
and  driving  wind  rendered  it  dangerous  to 
make  the  attempt. 

The  stream  continued  to  rise,  and  Corn 
wallis  was  obliged  to  move  nearer  to  its 
source,  where  it  was  less  deep,  before  he 
could  venture  to  cross  it. 

A  celebrated  historian  of  the  American  Re 
volution,  says  : — "  This  second  hairbreadth 
escape  was  considered  by  the  Americans  as 
a  farther  evidence  that  their  cause  was  favour 
ed  by  Heaven.  That  they,  in  two  successive 
instances,  should  effect  their  passage,  while 
their  pursuers,  who  were  only  a  few  miles  in 
their  rear,  could  not  follow,  impressed  the  re- 


160  LIFE    OF 

ligious  people  of  that  settlement  with  such 
sentiments  of  devotion  as  added  fresh  vigour 
to  their  exertions  in  behalf  of  American  inde 
pendence."* 

This  delay  enabled  General  Greene  to  move 
on  as  far  as  Guilford  Court-House,  where  he 
was  joined  by  the  division  he  had  left  under 
the  command  of  Huger. 

When  Cornwallis  found  that  he  could  not 
prevent  the  union  of  these  divisions,  he  re 
solved  to  endeavour  to  get  between  them  and 
Virginia,  so  as  to  force  them  to  an  action,  be 
fore  they  conld  receive  any  aid  from  troops 
which  he  heard  Were  preparing  in  that  state 
to  join  their  countrymen. 

General  Greene  knew  that  an  action  with 
so  powerful  an  enemy  must  be  fatal  to  his  ar 
my  ;  and  he  used  great  exertions  to  move  it 
quickly  on  towards  the  Dan  river,  with  the 
hope  of  being  able  to  enter  Virginia,  before 
Cornwallis  could  overtake  him.  After  many 
difficulties  were  overcome,  General  Greene 
succeeded  in  getting  his  troops  safe  across  the 
river.  They  had  marched  forty  miles  in 
twenty-four  hours,  and  the  last  boat  in- which 
they  were  crossing  the  river  had  scarcely 
touched  the  northern  bank,  when  the  army  of 
Cornwallis  appeared  on  the  opposite  shore. 

General  Greene  and  his  little  army  had  re 
treated  for  more  than  two  hundred  miles, 
without  the  loss  of  any  men.  The  season 
was  winter,  the  weather  cold  and  wet,  and 
*  Ramsay. 


WASHINGTON.  161 

the  roads  either  deep  or  icy,  and  the  troops  al 
most  naked  and  barefooted,  and  often  had  no 
other  food  than  corn  grated  on  their  tin  can 
teens,  in  which  they  punched  holes  for  that 
purpose.  The  army  of  Cornwallis  had  passed 
over  the  same  roads,  but  they  were  well 
clothed,  and  provided  with  strengthening  food, 
and  were  only  prevented  overtaking  the  Ame 
ricans  by  the  swelling  of  the  waters  in  their 
way.  They  were  so  often  thus  stopped, 
when  the  Americans  had  just  passed  over  in 
safety,  that  the  particular  providence  of  God 
was  clearly  seen  in  these  delays,  and  General 
Greene  and  his  feeble  army  had  cause  to 
praise  the  mercy  which  directed  these  means 
for  their  preservation  from  a  powerful  foe. 

When  the  American  army  entered  Virginia, 
Cornwallis  gave  up  the  pursuit  of  it,  and 
marched  slowly  to  Hillsborough,  at  that  time 
the  capital  of  North  Carolina.  He  there  raised 
the  standard  of  the  king  of  England,  and  in 
vited  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  state  to  assist 
him  in  restoring  the  old  government. 

General  Greene  was  resolved  to  prevent 
his  having  entire  possession  of  that  state  ; 
and  when  he  had  received  the  addition  to  his 
army  of  a  few  hundred  men,  he  re-crossed  the 
Dan  river,  and  moved  slowly  towards  Hills- 
borough.  All  the  country  around  had  been 
searched  for  provisions  to  supply  the  English 
army,  and  Cornwallis  at  length  found  that  he 
must  remove  to  another  situation,  as  it  was 


162  LIFE    OF 

impossible  for  him  to  obtain  what  was  need 
ful  where  he  was. 

When  he  removed,  Greene  advanced,  but 
took  care  not  to  place  his  army  where  he 
must  be  forced  into  an  action  before  he  should 
be  joined  by  more  troops  that  he  expected 
from  Virginia.  When  they  came,  he  deter 
mined  to  risk  a  battle,  and  for  that  purpose 
marched  towards  Guilford  to  meet  Cornwallis 
A  very  severe  battle  was  commenced  on  the 
15 tli  March,  and  continued  for  some  time, 
with  expectations  of  victory  on  both  sides; 
but  after  a  considerable  loss  of  men,  Corn 
wallis  was  able  to  claim  it,  and  Greene  moved 
his  troops  to  a  distance  of  twelve  miles,  where 
he  prepared  for  another  attack,  which  he  ex 
pected  would  soon  be  made.  But  Cornwallis 
did  not  attempt  it ;  for,  though  he  had  gained 
a  victory,  he  had  lost  so  many  men,  and  was 
so  unable  to  obtain  provisions  for  his  army, 
that  lie  was  forced  to  retreat  towards  Wilming 
ton,  where  he  expected  he  should  get  supplies 
of  food.  As  he  passed  on,  he  proclaimed, 
that  he  had  gained  a  great  victory,  and  ordered 
that  there  should  be  a  general  illumination. 

A  Mrs.  Heyward,  (whose  husband  had 
been  sent  as  a  rebel  in  a  prison  ship  to  St. 
Augustine,  after  the  English  had  taken  pos 
session  of  Charleston,)  closed  the  windows 
of  her  house,  when  she  heard  of  the  order  of 
Cornwallis.  An  English  officer  entered  it, 
and  said,  "  How  dare  you  disobey  the  order 


WASHINGTON.  1 63 

which  has  been  given  ?  Why  is  your  house 
not  illuminated?"  She  replied,  "Is  it  possi 
ble  for  me  to  feel  joy  ?  Can  I  celebrate  a 
victory  of  your  army,  and  my  husband  a  pri 
soner?"  The  officer  said,  "  The  last  hopes 
of  rebellion  are  crushed  by  the  defeat  of 
Greene,  and  you  shall  illuminate."  "  Not 
single  light,"  said  Mrs.  Heyward,  "  shall  be 
placed,  with  my  consent,  in  any  window  of 
my  house."  "Then"  '-eplied  the  officer,  "I 
will  return  with  a  party,  and  before  midnight 
level  it  with  the  ground."  "You  have  the  pow 
er,"  said  she,  "  and  seem  disposed  to  use  it,  but 
you  cannot  control  my  determination,  and* I 
will  not  illuminate."  The  officer  left  her  and 
did  not  return  to  execute  his  unfeeling  threat. 
Cornwallis  moved  his  army  into  Virginia. 
Some  of  the  inhabitants  of  North  Carolina 
had  deserted  the  cause  of  liberty,  and  placed 
themselves  under  the  protection  of  the  En 
glish  army.  To  them  of  course,  the  removal 
of  that  army  from  their  state  was  a  subject 
of  sorrow ;  but  to  all  those  who  had  continued 
firm  in  their  determination  to  be  independent 
of  the  government  of  England,  the  deliverance 
from  the  presence  of  those  whose  purpose  was 
to  make  them  submit,  occasioned  great  joy. 
The  name  of  Tarlton  was  heard  with  dread  ; 
for  he  was  constantly  practising  some  severity, 
either  in  destroy  ing  the  property  of  the  faithful 
Americans,  or  in  punishing  them  whenever  he 
had  an  opportunity.  Some,  in  a  moment  of 


164  LIFE    OF 

terror,  had  professed  a  willingness  to  submit, 
but  afterwards  repented  that  they  had  done  so, 
and  determined  on  endeavouring  to  defend 
themselves ;  to  such  persons  Tarlton  showed 
no  mercy.  A  young  man  who  had  acted  in 
this  manner,  was  afterwards  taken  prisoner, 
and  Tarlton  ordered  him  to  be  immediately 
hung  by  the  road  side  ;  and  placed  on  his 
back  the  declaration,  "  such  shall  be  the  fat 
of  whoever  presumes  to  cut  him  down."  No 
one  but  the  sister  of  the  young  man  dared  to 
disregard  this  threat ;  but  she,  with  the  reso 
lution  and  tenderness  of  female  attachment, 
watched  for  a  time  when  no  one  was  near  to 
prevent  her  sad  and  dangerous  employment, 
and  succeeded  in  getting  possession  of  the 
body  of  her  loved  brother,  and  placed  it  in  a 
grave. 

While  the  inhabitants  of  the  more  southern 
states  had  been  suffering,  those  of  Virginia 
had  not  been  left  to  the  enjoyment  of  peace^ 
for  the  revengeful  Arnold  had  been  made  a 
general  in  the  English  army,  and  was  sent  to 
invade  the  native  state  of  Washington.  Early 
in  January  he  attacked  Richmond,  and  suc 
ceeded  in  getting  possession  of  it,  and  in  de 
stroying  the  military  stores  there.  The  re 
sistance  made  to  his  power  was  too  feeble  to 
check  him,  and  he  used  every  opportunity  for 
gratifying  his  desire  to  injure  his  countrymen 

All  the  events  of  that  sad  winter  were  such 
as  caused  the  Americans  to  feel  depressed, 


WASHINGTON.  1 65 

and  increased  the  cares  of  Washington.  There 
were  no  sounds  of  gladness  to  hail  the  new 
year  of  1781,  but  it  commenced  with  an  event 
that  threatened  ruin  to  the  American  cause. 
That  part  of  the  army  which  was  stationed 
near  Morristown,  in  New  Jersey,  had  suffered 
so  much  for  want  of  clothing  and  food,  that 
they  determined  to  inarch  to  Philadelphia 
and  force  Congress  to  obtain  supplies  for 
them,  or  else  threaten  that  they  would  no 
longer  continue  in  service.  Their  command 
ing  officer  tried  in  vain  to  prevent  their  doing 
so,  and  they  marched  towards  Princeton. 
Three  officers,  to  whom  the  soldiers  were  at 
tached,  folio  wed  them  to  the  place  where  they 
encamped  for  the  night,  and  prevailed  on  them 
to  send  a  sergeant  from  each  regiment  to  meet 
them  and  state  their  complaints,  and  what 
they  intended  to  demand  form  Congress. 
They  did  so,  and  General  Wayne,  their  com 
mander,  promised  that  their  wishes  should  be 
made  known  to  Congress,  and  attended  to  ; 
and  urged  them  to  return  to  their  duty.  Gene 
ral  Washington  was  at  that  time  at  New 
Windsor,  on  the  North  river,  and  General 
Wayne  immediately  sent  to  him  an  account 
of  this  alarming  mutiny ;  and  of  the  demands 
made  by  those  who  were  engaged  in  it 
Washington  was  much  .distressed  by  their 
conduct ;  but  he  felt  that  they  had  cause  for 
complaint,  and  thought  that  he  ought  not  to  go 
to  them  lest  they  should  disobey  him,  and 


166  LIFE    OF 

thus  deserve  3,  punishment  which  would  pre 
vent  their  being  willing  to  return  to  duty.  He 
made  all  the  preparations  that  were  possible 
for  subduing  them  in  case  they  became  violent 
in  theirconduct;  and  directed  General  Wayne 
to  inform  Congress  of  what  had  happened, 
and  let  them  endeavour  to  settle  the  business 
without  his  interference. 

Congress  appointed  a  committee  to  visit  the 
camp  of  the  mutineers,  and  make  proposals  to 
them,  which  after  a  short  time  they  agreed  to 
accept.  The  time  for  which  a  large  portion 
of  them  had  enlisted  was  passed,  and  they 
were  discharged,  so  that  the  army  was  consi 
derably  reduced. 

When  Sir  Henry  Clinton  heard  of  the  mu 
tiny,  he  immediately  sent  men  to  offer  secretly 
to  the  revolters  an  assurance  that  he  would 
receive  them  into  his  army,  and  supply  all 
their  wants,  and  would  send  a  large  force 
from  New  York  to  conduct  them  there  in 
safety.  But  he  had  mistaken  the  feelings  of 
the  American  soldiers.  In  a  moment  of  ex 
treme  suffering  they  had  yielded  to  the  rash 
counsel  of  some  impatient  spirits,  but  no 
thought  of  becoming  enemies  of  their  country 
had  entered  their  minds.  They  seized  the 
messengers  of  Sir  Henry,  and  made  his  pro 
posals  known  to  General  Wayne,  with  an  as 
surance  that  they  had  scorned  them.  The 
committee  from  Congress  offered  a  reward 
to  those  who  had  made  Sir  Henry's  messen- 


WASHINGTON.  167 

gers  prisoners,  but  they  refused  to  accept  it, 
saying,  "  they  had  only  done  their  duty,  and 
desired  for  the  act  nothing  more  than  the  ap 
probation  of  their  country,  for  which  they  had 
«o  often  fought  and  bled." 

General  Washington  made  use  of  this  re 
volt  to  show  to  Congress,  and  to  the  different 
states,  the  necessity  of  making  more  effectual 
exertions  to  supply  the  army  with  clothing 
and  wholesome  food.  He  represented  their 
sufferings  so  feelingly,  that  efforts  were  made 
in  each  state,  to  contribute  to  their  relief, 
and  small  as  the  aid  was,  the  sufferers  were 
satisfied  with  this  proof,  that  their  country 
men  were  not  entirely  unmindful  of  them. 

When  Congress  had  succeeded  in  satisfy 
ing  the  discontented  troops,  they  became  en 
gaged  in  the  interesting  business  of  determin 
ing  on  a  plan  for  a  union  of  the  different  states 
which  would  enable  them  to  carry  on  the  war 
with  less  difficulty  and  expense.  **  Articles 
of  confederation,"  were  drawn  up,  and  in 
February  they  were  agreed  to  by  all  the  mem 
bers  of  Congress,  and  the  knowledge  of  this 
bond  of  union  gave  universal  satisfaction. 

All  the  accounts  which  General  Washing 
ton  heard  from  the  southern  stales  made  him 
very  anxious  to  send  more  troops  there. 
The  French  fleet  had  been  blocked  up  in 
the  harbour  of  Newport  by  an  English  fleet; 
but  a  violent  storm  injured  many  of  the  Eng 
lish  ships,  and,  by  their  being  moved  away 


168  LIFE    OF 

the  French  admiral  was  enabled  to  send  out  a 
few  of  his  ships,  which  he  directed  to  sail  to 
the  Chesapeake.  When  General  Washing 
ton  heard  of  this,  he  resolved  to  send  troops 
immediately  to  Virginia,  in  the  expectation 
that  he  could  obtain  aid  from  the  French  ves 
sels  in  attacking  some  of  the  ports  which  were 
in  possession  of  the  English.  The  French 
ships  soon  returned  to  Newport,  and  in  re 
turning  they  captured  an  English  frigate.  Ge 
neral  Washington  was  disappointed  in  his 
expectation  of  being  aided  by  them  at  that 
time,  but  he  sent  troops,  under  the  command 
of  General  Lafayette,  to  Virginia ;  and  went 
to  Newport  to  communicate  to  the  French  ad 
miral  a  plan  which  he  had  formed  for  being 
assisted  by  some  of  his  vessels.  The  admiral 
agreed  to  his  proposals,  and  sent  a  part  of  his 
fleet  out,  but  it  was  met  by  the  English  fleet, 
and,  after  a  sharp  action,  they  separated,  and 
the  French  returned  again  to  Newport. 

A  part  of  the  troops  which  were  marching 
to  the  south  under  the  command  of  Lafayette, 
became  discontented,  and  he  discovered  that 
every  day  some  were  secretly  leaving  him.  He 
called  together  all  that  remained,  and  told 
them  that  he  would  not  deceive  them  as  to 
the  difficulties  and  dangers  to  which  he  ex 
pected  they  would  be  exposed,  for  they  were 
many  ;  but,  that  any  individual  who  was  un 
willing  to  encounter  them,  was  at  liberty  to 
say  so,  and  should  have  his  permission  to  re- 


WASHINGTON.  169 

turn  to  the  army  which  they  had  left  in  New  f 
Jersey.  This  candid  and  generous  conduct 
had  the  effect  of  stopping  desertions  ;  for  the 
soldiers  were  ashamed  to  forsake  so  excellent 
a  commander.  In  Baltimore  he  obtained,  at 
his  own  expense,  a  variety  of  comforts  for 
them,  and  the  females  of  that  city  employed 
themselves  immediately  in  making  up  summei 
clothing  for  them. 

A  large  force  had  been  sent  from  New 
York  to  Arnold,  and  Cornwallis  had  moved 
quickly  to  join  him,  and  take  command  of  all 
the  troops.  With  so  large  a  force,  he  was 
certain  that  he  could  readily  defeat  the  little 
army  of  Lafayette,  which  he  heard  had  en 
tered  Virginia,  and  he  determined  to  attack  it 
as  soon  as  possible. 

Lafayette  wished  to  avoid  Cornwallis,  until 
he  should  have  his  force  increased  by  some 
troops,  which  were  on  their  way  to  join  him, 
commanded  by  General  Wayne.  Cornwallis 
heard  of  this,  and  determined  to  prevent  La 
fayette  receiving  this  aid,  and  was  so  confi 
dent  of  being  successful,  that  he  wrote,  (with 
contempt  for  the  youth  of  Lafayette,)  in  a  let 
ter  which  was  intercepted,  "  the  boy  cannot 
escape  me."  But  "the  b.oy"  moved  with  so 
much  judgment  and  quickness,  that  his  confi 
dent  enemy  was  soon  convinced  that  he  could 
not  overtake  him,  or  prevent  his  being  joined 
by  the  expected  troops,  and  he  gave  up  the 
pursuit,  and  determined  to  wait  for  his  return. 
P 


170  LIFE    OF 

When  Lafayette  received  the  additional 
force,  he  turned,  and  was  very  soon  within  a 
few  miles  of  the  camp  of  Cornwallis,  who  im 
mediately  suspected  that  he  intended  to  at 
tempt  securing  some  military  stores  that  had 
been  sent  up  the  James  river  to  Albemarle 
Court-House,  and  he  placed  troops  in  a  situa 
tion  to  attack  him  on  the  road  which  he  sup 
posed  he  would  take.  Lafayette  thought  that 
Cornwallis  would  do  so,  and  in  the  night 
opened  an  old  road,  which  had  been  long  out 
of  use,  by  which  he  marched  quietly  to  the 
situation  he  wished  to  gain  ;  and  in  the  morn 
ing,  when  Cornwallis  thought  to  have  him  in' 
his  power,  he  had  the  mortification  of  disco 
vering  that  he  had  passed  by,  and  was  placed 
in  a  situation  in  which  he  could  not  be  at 
tacked  with  advantage.  Cornwallis  probably 
thought  that  the  American  army  was  larger 
than  it  really  was  ;  for  he  gave  up  the  inten 
tion  he  had  formed  of  forcing  it  to  an  ac 
tion,  and  marched  to  Williamsburgh.  Lafay 
ette  followed  him  with  great  caution,  and  at 
tacked  some  troops  that  were  moving  about 
the  country,  but  avoided  the  clanger  of  an  en- 
ragement  with  the  main  army. 

In  the  rapid  course  of  the  English  through 
Virginia,  they  destroyed  all  the  private  pro 
perty  that  came  in  their  .way,  as  well  as  that 
which  belonged  to  the  public.  Their  ships 
sailed  up  the  rivers,  and  robbed  the  farms  on 
their  borders.  While  they  were  thus  employ 


WASHINGTON.  171 

ed  in  the  Potomac,  a  message  was  sent  from 
them  to  the  farm  of  Washington,  to  demand  a 
supply  of  provisions,  with  a  threat  that  if  they 
were  not  given,  the  buildings  should  be  de 
stroyed,  and  the  farm  laid  waste.  The  pereon 
in  whose  care  the  farm  hafl  been  left,  was  ter 
rified  by  this  threat,  and  went  on  board  of  one 
of  the  ships  with  some  fresh  provisions,  to  beg 
that  the  house  might  not  be  set  on  fire. 

When  General  Washington  received  an  ac 
count  of  this,  he  wrote  to  the  person  who  had 
acted  with  so  much  impropriety,  and  told  him, 
"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  of  your  losses,  but  that 
which  gives  me  most  concern  is,  that  you 
should  have  gone  on  board  of  the  vessels  of 
the  enemy,  and  furnished  them  with  refresh 
ments.  It  would  have  been  a  less  painful  cir 
cumstance  to  me,  to  have  heard,  that  in  con 
sequence  of  your  non-compliance  with  their 
request,  they  had  burnt  my  house,  and  laid 
the  plantation  in  ruins.  You  ought  to  have 
considered  yourself  as  my  representative,  and 
should  have  reflected  on  the  bad  example  of 
communicating  with  the  enemy,  and  of  mak 
ing  an  offer  of  refreshment  to  them  with  a  view 
to  prevent  a  conflagration." 

Lafayette  acted  with  great  prudence,  and 
used  every  opportunity  for  preventing  the  ene 
my  from  plundering  ;  but  his  force  was  too 
small  to  encounter  the  main  body  of  their  ar 
my,  and  he  became  very  anxious  that  General 
Washington  should  go  to  Virginia,  and  give 


172  LIFE    OF 

his  aid  to  his  native  state,  and  free  it  fiom  the 
destructive  invaders.  The  government  of  the 
state  also  urged  this  very  much ;  but  Wash 
ington,  considering  America  as  his  country, 
and  making  the  safety  of  the  whole  country 
his  object,  would  not  suffer  any  love  of  his 
native  state  to  change  the  plans  which  he 
thought  would  be  most  likely  to  produce  be 
nefit  to  the  northern  and  middle,  as  well  as 
the  southern  states.  A  sad  gloom  was  spread 
over  all  of  them  when  the  year  had  com 
menced.  The  enemy  were  making  prepara 
tions  in  Canada  to  march  to  Fort  Pitt ;  and  it 
was  reported  that  they  had  assembled  three 
thousand  men,  in  ships  on  the  lakes,  to  make 
an  attack  again  from  that  quarter. 

The  dreaded  Indians  had  united  in  large 
bands,  and  threatened  all  the  western  frontier 
with  a  renewal  of  their  ferocious  attacks. 

The  new  troops,  which  Washington  had 
expected  from  the  different  states,  had  not 
been  raised,  and  those  which  had  been  long 
in  service,  were  almost  worn  out  with  toils, 
and  the  want  of  necessary  provision  of  food 
and  clothing. 

When  any  favourable  event  brightened  the 
prospects  of  his  country,  Washington  calmly 
rejoiced  in  it,  but  was  not  flattered  into  false 
security  ;  and,  when  his  countrymen  were 
ready  to  despond,  he  could  trust  that  the 
cheering  beams  of  Divine  favour  would  dis 
perse  those  clouds,  arid  he  became  more  ani- 


WASHINGTON.  173 

mated  and  courageous  as  others  became  sad 
and  fearful.  He  continued  to  think,  that  to 
get  possession  of  New  York  would  be  of  more 
importance  than  any  thing  that  he  could  ven 
ture  to  attempt,  and  lie  used  every  effort  to 
make  preparations  for  doing  so. 

He  formed  a  plan,  which  he  communicated 
to  the  French  admiral,  who  was  at  Newport, 
and  who  agreed  to  assist  him  in  performing 
it ;  and  he  earnestly  urged  to  each  slate  to 
hasten  the  march  of  those  troops  which  were 
promised  to  him.  All  that  depended  on  his 
own  exertions  was  performed  with  active  per 
severance  ;  but  the  expected  troops  were  de 
layed,  and  when  they  arrived,  and  he  was 
ready  to  execute  his  favourite  plan,  the  French 
admiral  wrote  to  him,  that  he  could  not  ven 
ture  to  take  his  heavy  ships  into  New  York 
bay,  and  had  resolved  to  sail  for  the  Chesa 
peake  ;  but  there  he  could  not  remain  long, 
as  he  had  been  directed  by  his  own  governr 
ment  to  return  to  the  West  Indies. 

This  information  was  severely  trying  to  Ge 
neral  Washington,  as  it  disappointed  his  ex 
pectations  of  assistance  from  the  fleet,  and 
obliged  him  to  give  up  a  plan  which  he  was 
ready  to  execute,  and  from  which  he  hoped  to 
gain  the  most  important  success  in  freeing  his 
suffering  country  from  its  enemies. 

Every  one,  who  with  piety  notices  the  pro 
vidences  of  God,  can  know  that  our  best  bless 
ings  are  often  hid  beneath  our  disappomt- 
P2 


174  LIFE    OF 

ments,  as  sweet  flowers  are  concealed  in  bitter 
buds.  Washington  experienced  this  in  the 
important  results  that  followed  his  being 
obliged  to  bid  farewell  to  all  hopes  of  assist 
ance  in  his  cherished  plan  of  attacking  New 
York.  He  was  unwillingly  forced  to  form 
another,  which  proved  far  more  advantageous 
to  the  interests  of  his  country  than  that  would 
have  been. 

Mr.  (afterwards  Judge)  Peters,  one  of  the 
board  of  war,  was  at  the  camp  when  the  letter 
from  the  admiral  was  received  ;  he  said  that 
General  Washington  gave  it  to  him  to  read, 
and  showed  strong  marks  of  anger ;  that  he 
left  him  for  a  short  time,  and,  on  returning  to 
him,  he  had  cause  to  admire,  as  he  often  had 
done,  how  perfectly  General  Washington  con 
trolled  his  naturally  hasty  temper.  He  was 
as  calm  as  if  nothing  had  occurred  to  disturb 
him,  and  began  immediately  to  form  a  new 
plan,  without  wasting  the  important  moments 
in  useless  regrets.  He  determined  on  moving 
his  army  as  quickly  and  secretly  as  possible 
to  Virginia,  before  Sir  Henry  Clinton  should 
suspect  his  design  and  send  aid  to  Cornwal- 
lis. 

When  he  informed  Mr.  Peters,  and  Mr. 
Robert  Morris,  the  other  commissioner  of  the 
board  of  war,  who  was  at  the  camp,  that  his 
new  plan  was  formed,  and  said,  "  What  can 
you  do  for  us  under  the  present  change  of  cir 
cumstances  ?"  Mr.  Peters  said,  "Inform  me 


WASHINGTON.  175 

•of  (he  extent  of  your  wants ;  I  can  do  every 
thing  with  money, — nothing  without  it."  As 
he  said  this,  he  looked  at  Mr.  Morris,  who 
said,  "  I  understand  you  ; — I  must  have  time 
to  consider  and  calculate."  They  knew  the 
difficulty  of  obtaining  the  money ;  and,  when 
they  had  left  Philadelphia,  there  was  so  little 
in  the  treasury  chest,  that  Mr.  Peters  could 
not  venture  to  take  enough  out  of  it  to  pay  the 
expense  of  his  journey  to  the  camp.  He  re 
turned  to  that  city,  and  set  to  work  industri 
ously  to  prepare  what  General  Washington 
had  told  him  he  should  need. 

In  a  very  short  time,  almost  two  hundred 
pieces  of  artillery,  and  all  the  necessary  am 
munition,  were  prepared  and  sent  off  to  Vir 
ginia.  All  the  expense  of  this,  as  well  as  of 
the  provision  for,  and  pay  of  the  troops,  was 
defrayed  by  Mr.  Morris,  who  gave  notes  for 
the  promise  of  payment,  to  the  amount  of  one 
million  and  four  hundred  thousand  dollars, 
which  were  afterwards  all  paid. 

General  Washington  informed  Lafayette  of 
his  intention  to  come  to  Virginia,  and  desired 
him  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  prevent  Corn- 
wallis  from  saving  himself  by  a  sudden  inarch 
to  Charleston. 


176  LIFE    OF 

CHAPTER    VIII 
1781. 

IN  South  Carolina  and  Georgia  the  cam 
paign  of  1781  was  a  very  active  one.  A  line 
of  posts  had  been  continued  by  the  English 
from  Charleston,  in  South  Carolina,  to  Au 
gusta,  in  Georgia.  General  Sumpter  and  Ge"- 
neral  Marion  kept  up  a  resistance,  with  a  few 
militia,  and  moved  so  quickly,  that  the  Eng 
lish  commander  could  not  succeed  in  defeat 
ing  them.  General  Greene  formed  the  bold 
resolution  of  recovering  Georgia.  He  had 
about  eighteen  hundred  men,  and  his  prospect 
of  procuring  food  for  them  was  not  very  pro 
mising  ;  but  he  believed  it  to  be  for  the  inte 
rest  of  his  country  to  make  the  attempt.  He 
sent  Colonel  Lee  with  a  detachment  to  join 
Marion,  and  requested  General  Pickens  to  as 
semble  the  western  militia  of  South  Carolina, 
and  lay  siege  to  Ninety-Six  and  Augusta 
while  he  moved  from  his  camp  on  Deep  rivej 
to  Camden,  where  he  arrived  on  the  19th 
&pril.  Being  unable  to  storm  the  works  01 
surround  them,  he  encamped  near  Camden. 
with  the  hope  of  having  some  additional  troop? 
of  militia  to  aid  him.  On  the  25th  April,  he 
had  withdrawn  his  troops  to  Hobkirk's  hill, 
about  a  mile  from  Camden,  and  the  English 
general,  Rawdon,  marched  out  to  attack  him 
Although  this  attack  was  unexpected,  the 


WASHINGTON.  177 

Americans  were  soon  ready  to  meet  it,  and 
General  Greene  had  every  prospect  of  suc 
cess,  when  his  hopes  were  destroyed  by  one 
of  his  regiments  being  thrown  into  confusion; 
the  English  commander  took  advantage  of  this 
with  so  much  activity,  that  Greene  soon  per 
ceived  that  to  save  his  troops  from  a  total  de 
feat  he  must  retreat,  which  he  did  to  a  place 
about  four  miles  from  the  field  of  battle.  The 
pursuit  was  only  continued  for  three  miles. 

Colonel  Lee  had  joined  Marion  in  South 
Carolina,  and  they  attacked  Fort  Watson,  on 
the  Santee  river,  and  succeeded  in  obliging 
the  garrison  to  surrender. 

A  garrison  had  been  placed  in  the  dwelling 
house  of  Mrs.  Motte,  situated  on  an  eminence, 
on  the  south  side  of  the  Congaree  river,  near 
its  junction  with  the  Wateree  ;  this  was  a 
very  important  post,  as  all  the  provisions  in 
tended  for  the  army  at  Camden  were  deposit 
ed  there,  and  fortifications  were  thrown  up 
around  the  house.  Marion  and  Lee  deter 
mined  to  drive  the  garrison  from  this  fortress, 
and  Lee  informed  Mrs.  Motte,  who  was  in 
the  neighbourhood,  that  they  could  not  suc 
ceed  without  entirely  destroying  her  house. 
She  replied,  "  The  sacrifice  of  my  property 
is  nothing;  and  I  shall  view  its  destruction 
with  delight,  if  it  shall  in  any  degree  contri 
bute  to  the  good  of  my  country."  She  then 
gave  him  an  Indian  bow  and  arrows,  which 
had  been  kept  as  a  curiosity  in  her  family  : 


178  LIFE    01 

with  these,  lighted  torches  were  shot  upon 
her  house,  which  took  fire,  and  thus  the  ene 
my  were  driven  from  it.  Lee  then  marched 
against  Fort  Granby,  on  the  Congaree,  oppo 
site  the  site  of  the  town  of  Columbia,  since 
built  there,  and  forced  a  garrison  of  three  hun 
dred  and  fifty  men  to  surrender,  while  Marion 
marched  against  Georgetown,  on  the  Black 
river,  which  place  he  reduced. 

In  July  the  intense  heat  of  the  climate  made 
it  necessary  for  General  Greene  to  give  his 
troops  some  rest,  and  he  moved  them  to  the 
high  hills  of  Santee  for  that  purpose.  There 
he  was  joined  by  some  troops  from  North 
Carolina.  In  August  he  determined  on  once 
more  risking  an  action  with  the  English  army, 
and,  for  that  purpose,  on  the  22d,  he  proceed 
ed  to  the  Congaree,  where  he  was  joined  by 
General  Pickens  with  the  militia,  and  by 
some  state  troops  of  South  Carolina.  On 
hearing  of  his  approach,  the  English  moved 
to  the  Eutaw  Springs,  on  the  Santee,  and 
there,  on  the  8th  September,  a  severe  action 
commenced,  and  was  continued  for  some  time 
with  great  warmth  and  boldness  on  both  sides'. 
At  length  the  contest  ceased,  and  both  armies 
claimed  the  victory. .  In  November  the  Eng 
lish  retired  to  Charleston  Neck,  and  to  the 
islands  in  the  harbour. 

When  General  Greene  had  entered  South 
Carolina,  he  found  it  completely  conquered, 
and  defended  by  a  regular  army.  By  a  course 


WASHINGTON.  179 

which  was  courageous,  but  prudent,  he  reco 
vered  the  southern  states,  and,  at  the  close  of 
he  year  1781,  they  were  again  under  their 
own  government.  The  rigour  with  which  the 
English  exercised  their  power  on  those  who 
seemed  disposed  to  resist,  caused  the  war  to 
be  more  full  of  calamities  to  the  inhabitants  of 
the  southern  states  than  those  of  any  other 
portion  of  the  country. 

At  the  north,  still  more  important  events 
were  taking  place,  as  the  summer  advanced. 
The  movements  of  the  American  army  were 
such  as  to  lead  the  enemy  in  New  York 
to  think,  that  General  Washington  was  pre 
paring  to  attack  that  place;  and  Sir  Henry 
Clinton  had  no  suspicion  of  his  intention  to 
march  to  Virginia,  until  the  army  had  crossed 
the  Delaware  river,  and  it  was  then  too  late 
for  him  to  attempt  to  stpp  the  progress  of  the 
active  troops. 

With  the  hope  of  inducing  Washington  to 
return  for  the  defence  of  Connecticut,  Sir 
Henry  sent  to  that  state  a  strong  detachment 
of  troops,  in  a  fleet  of  transports  ;  they  were 
commanded  by  Arnold,  who  had  just  returned 
from  Virginia. 

The  march  of  Washington  was  not  pre- 
tented  by  this  movement  of  the  enemy,  but 
ne  advanced  towards  Virginia  with  all  the 
speed  that  was  possible,  and  had  the  satisfac 
tion  of  hearing,  when  he  arrived  in  Chester, 
early  in  September,  that  the  French  fleet  was  in 


180  LIFE    OF 

the  Chesapeake.  He  gave  directions  to  his  off! 
cers  to  bring-  on  the  troops  speedily,  and  wen. 
himsolf  to  visit  the  admiral,  and  propose  to  him 
a,  plan  for  an  attack. on  the  army  of  Cornwal- 
lis,  in  which  he  promised  to  assist  him. 

When  Cornwallis  had  heard  of  the  Fmnch 
fleet  appearing  in  the  Chesapeake,  he  had 
drawn  all  his  troops  together  at  Yorktown; 
and  with  great  activity  and  toil,  they  had 
raised  fortifications  for  their  defence. 

The  town  is  situated  on  a  strip  of  land, 
about  eight  miles  wide,  between  the  James 
and  York  rivers.  Opposite  to  the  town,  on 
the  North  side  of  York  river,  is  Gloucester 
Point,  which  projects  into  the  river  so  as  to 
make  it  only  one  mile  in  width  at  that  place. 
Colonel  Tarlton,  with  seven  hundred  men, 
was  posted  on  Gloucester  Point.  The  south 
ern  banks  of  the  river  are  high  ;  some  batteries 
had  been  constructed  on  them  by  Virginia 
troops,  who  had  been  stationed  there  some 
time  before.  Cornwallis  manned  these  bat 
teries,  and  the  main  body  of  his  army  was  en 
camped  around  Yorktown,  within  a  range  of 
field  works,  raised  for  their  defence. 

The  communication  between  Yorktown 
and  Gloucester  Point,  was  defended  by  the 
batteries  on  shore,  and  by  several  British 
ships  of  war,  which  could  ride  in  safety  in 
the  broad  and  deep  York  river. 

On  the  25th  of  September,  the  last  division 
of  Washington's  army  arrived  at  the  landing 


WASHINGTON.  181 

near  Williamsburgh,  on  the  James  river. 
They  were  allowed  two  days  for  rest,  and  on 
the  28th,  moved  toward  Yorktown.  A  de 
tachment  of  French  and  American  troops  were 
directed  to  watch  and  restrain  Tarlton,  and 
the  main  body  of  the  army  was  moved  down 
on  the  south  side  of  the  York  river  towards 
Yorktown.  The  next  day  was  employed  in 
preparing  for  the  siege.  General  Lafayette 
had  joined  Washington  with  the  troops  under 
his  command. 

Washington  displayed  his  military  talent 
and  sound  judgment  in  directing  every  move 
ment  that  was  to  be  made,  and  the  siege  was 
carried  on  with  great  rapidity. 

When  the  places  of  defence  which  the 
English  had  raised  at  some  distance  from  the 
town  were  destroyed,  and  they  were  driven 
back  to  seek  for  safety  within  the  intrench- 
ments  which  they  had  formed  immediately 
around  it,  Cornwallis  finding  himself  so  closely 
pressed  resolved  to  attempt  escaping ;  and 
during  the  night,  he  succeeded  in  sending  se 
veral  boats  filled  with  troops  across  the  York 
river  to  Gloucester  Point;  but  when  these 
troops  were  landed,  a  violent  slorm  suddenly 
arose,  and  drove  the  boats  down  the  stream  ; 
daylight  began  to  dawn  before  they  could  be 
recovered,  and  then  it  was  necessary  to  use 
them  for  the  return  of  the  few  troops  which 
had  been  landed,  as  it  was  impossible  to  send 
the  rest  of  the  army  by  the  light  of  day,  which 
Q 


182  LIFE    OF 

would  show  the  movement  to  those  Americans 
who  were  posted  near  Gloucester. 

Being  thus  disappointed,  and  not  having 
any  reasonable  cause  for  even  a  hope  that  he 
could  save  his  army,  Cornwallis  wrote  to 
General  Washington  to  request  that  all  hosti 
lities  might  cease  for  twenty-four  hours,  during 
which  time  he  would  inform  him  on  what 
terms  he  would  surrender.  Washington  in 
formed  him  that  it  was  his  ardent  desire  to 
epare  the  shedding  of  blood,  and  that  he 
would  listen  with  readiness  to  such  terms  as 
could  be  accepted ;  but  requested  that  they 
might  be  made  known  immediately  in  writing, 
as  he  could  quickly  determine  if  he  would 
agree  to  them. 

Some  of  the  proposals  of  Cornwallis.  Wash 
ington  could  not  consent  to,  and  he  wrote 
down  the  terms  on  which  he  expected  him  to 
surrender,  and  said  he  would  not  change  them. 
These  terms  were  ;  that  all  the  army,  with 
their  arms  and  military  stores,  and  all  the  ships 
and  seamen,  were  to  be  delivered  up.  The 
troops  to  be  prisoners  of  war  to  Congress, 
and  the  naval  force  to  the  French.  The  sol 
diers  were  to  remain,  with  a  few  officers,  in 
America ;  and  the  rest  of  the  officers,  were  to  be 
permitted  to  return  to  Europe  on  parole,  or 
assurance  from  them  that  they  would  not 
serve  again  against  the  Americans.  Corn-* 
wallis  was  to  be  allowed  to  send  a  ship  un- 
searched  to  New  York,  to  carry  any  papers 


WASHINGTON.       j  J  83 

which  he  chose  to  send  there.  These  terms 
were  accepted  by  the  English  general,  and  on 
the  19th  of  October,  in  the  year  1781,  the 
whole  army  of  Cornwallis,  which  had  been 
for  so  long  a  time  the  cause  of  distress  and 
terror  in  the  southern  states,  marched  out  of 
Yorkto\vn,  as  prisoners  of  war.  General  Lin 
coin  was  appointed  by  General  Washington 
to  receive  the  submission  of  the  conquered 
army,  in  the  same  manner  in  which  Corn 
wallis  had  received  his,  and  that  of  the  Ame 
rican  army,  on  the  12th  of  May,  1780,  at 
Charleston. 

While  the  troops  of  Cornwallis  were  march 
ing  out  of  the  town,  with  cased  colours  and 
drums  beating  the  sad  sound  of  defeat,  Wash 
ington  said  to  his  troops,  "  My  brave  fellows,  let 
no  sensation  of  satisfaction  for  the  triumph 
you  have  gained,  induce  you  to  insult  a  fallen 
enemy ; — let  no  shouting — no  clamourous  huz 
zaing,  increase  their  mortification.  It  is  a 
sufficient  satisfaction  to  us,  that  we  witness 
their  humiliation.  Posterity  will  huzza  for 
us  !" 

On  the  day  after  the  surrender,  he  ordered 
that  all  who  were  under  arrest  should  be  set 
at  liberty,  and  he  closed  his  order  with  this  di 
rection — "  Divine  service  shall  be  performed 
to-morrow  in  the  different  divisions  of  the  ar 
my;  and  the  commander-in-chief  recommends 
that  all  the  troops  that  are  not  upon  duty  do  as 
sist  at  it,  with  a  serious  deportment,  and  that 


184  LIFE    OF 

sensibility  of  heart,  which  the  recollection  of 
the  surprising  and  particular  interposition  of 
Divine  Providence  in  our  favour,  claims." 

The  capture  of  a  formidable  army,  which 
had  been  moving  with  destructive  power  over 
more  than  eleven  hundred  miles  of  their  coun 
try,  was  to  the  Americans  a  cause  of  heartfelt 
joy  and  thankfulness.  The  news  was  received 
at  Philadelphia,  then  the  seat  of  government, 
at  night,  and  an  aged  watchman,  who  heard  it, 
in  the  gladness  of  his  heart,  as  he  walked  his 
round  with  a  quick  step,  sung  out,  "Past  one 
o'clock — and  Cornwallis  is  taken  !" 

Congress  heard  the  tidings  with  grateful 
sensations,  and  went  in  solemn  procession  to 
a  place  of  worship,  to  return  thanks  to  God 
for  this  deliverance  from  powerful  foes ;  they 
also  issued  a  proclamation,  for  "religiously 
observing  through  the  United  States  the  13th 
day  of  December,  as  a  day  of  thanksgiving 
and  prayer." 


CHAPTER    IX. 

1781—1787. 

WHEN  General  Washington  had  performed 
all  the  duties  which  the  surrender  of  Cornwal- 


WASHINGTON.  185 

lis  rendered  necessary,  before  he  could  leave 
Yorktown,  he  went  to  visit  his  respected  and 
aged  mother,  whom  he  had  not  seen  for  more 
than  six  years.  At  the  commencement  of  the 
war  he  had  removed  her  to  the  village  of  Fre- 
dericksburg,  where  he  thought  she  would  be 
comfortable,  and  distant  from  danger ;  and 
from  that  time  he  had  not  been  at  liberty  to 
visit  his  native  state,  as  his  services  were  re 
quired  by  his  country  every  day,  and  indeed 
every  moment.  He  was  careful  to  send  con 
stantly  to  his  parent,  an  account  of  himself 
and  the  situation  of  public  affairs,  and  she  re 
ceived  all  such  intelligence  with  a  confidence 
in  the  wisdom  of  God,  which  prevented  her 
being  depressed  by  the  news  of  losses  that  fre 
quently  reached  her  ears.  When  she  heard 
of  the  success  of  her  son  in  the  December  of 
1777,  (when  he  crossed  the  Delaware  and 
marched  to  Princeton,)  she  said,  "  George 
appears  to  have  deserved  well  of  his  coun 
try  ;"  and,  when  her  neighbours  pressed 
around  her  with  letters  that  they  had  received, 
mil  of  his  praises,  she  said,  "  Here  is  too  much 
flattery ; — still  George  will  not  forget  the  les 
sons  I  early  taught  him  ; — he  will  not  forget 
nimself,  though  he  is  the  subject  of  JK>  much 
praise." 

Washington  knew  that  it  would  be  no  gra 
tification  to  his  good  mother  to  see  him  sur- 
tounded  by  attendants,  or  to  have  his  approach 
made  known  by  any  kind  of  parade.  He 


186  LIFE    OF 

therefore  left  the  officers  who  rode  with  him, 
and  dismounting  from  his  horse,  alone,  and 
on  foot,  he  went  to  her  residence.  When  he 
entered  it  he  found  her  usefully  employed 
As  she  embraced  her  son,  she  called  him  by 
an  endearing  name,  which  he  well  remember 
ed  she  had  always  used  when  in  his  child 
hood  he  deserved  her  approbation.  She 
anxiously  questioned  him  on  the  state  of  his 
health,  talked  of  old  times  and  old  friends, 
but  spoke  not  a  word  on  the  subject  of  his  re 
nown,  or  of  the  praise  which  his  countrymen 
were  giving  him  for  his  noble  conduct. 

When  he  left  his  revered  parent,  he  went  to 
his  long  forsaken  home.  Mrs.  Washington 
was  then  there.  She  had  been  with  him 
through  each  winter,  and,  as  she  said,  had 
"  heard  the  first  cannon  on  the  opening,  and 
the  last  at  the  close  of  every  campaign  of  the 
war." 

When  Washington  was  favoured  with  some 
success  in  any  undertaking,  he  did  not  become 
less  diligent  in  his  efforts  to  complete  it,  and 
he  wrote  to  General  Greene,  "I  shall  endea 
vour  to  stimulate  Congress  to  the  best  im 
provement  of  our  late  success,  by  taking  the 
most  vigorous  and  effectual  measures  to  be 
ready  &r  an  early  and  decisive  campaign  the 
next  year." 

He  went  to  Philadelphia,  and  was  success 
ful  in  his  wishes.  In  December,  1782,  Con 
gress  passed  resolutions  which  satisfied  him 


WASHINGTON.  187 

and  he  wrote  to  the  different  states  to  urge  a 
faithful  compliance  with  these  resolutions. 
The  army  was  placed  in  winter  quarters,  and 
Washington  became  anxiously  engaged  in 
preparations  for  the  duties  of  the  spring. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  year  1782, 
there  was  not  a  dollar  in  the  public  treasury, 
and,  from  the  delay  in  collecting  the  taxes, 
Washington  knew  that  there  could  be  no  hope 
of  a  supply  for  several  months.  Mr.  Robert 
Morris,  the  officer  who  superintended  this  bu 
siness,  wrote  in  great  distress  to  Washington, 
and  said,  "  This  candid  state  of  my  situation 
and  feelings  I  give  to  your  bosom,  because 
you,  who  have  already  felt  and  suffered  so 
much,  will  be  able  to  sympathize  with  me." 

While  Washington  was  using  every  effort 
to  hasten  the  collection  of  the  money  which 
would  be  necessary  for  the  subsistence  of  his 
army,  an  account  came  from  England  that  a 
proposal  had  been  made  in  Parliament  to 
make  offers  of  peace.  Washington  had  little 
confidence  in  the  probability  of  this  proposi 
tion  being  agreed  to  by  the  English  govern 
ment,  and  he  endeavoured  to  prevent  his 
countrymen  being  deceived  into  security  by  a 
false  expectation.  Early  in  May,  however, 
an  English  commander,  Sir  Guy  Carl  ton,  ar 
rived  in  New  York,  and  wrote  to  Gen.  Wash 
ington  and  to  Congress,  that  Parliament  had 
determinad  on  offering  to  conclude  a  peace,  or 
truce,  with  the  revolted  colonies  of  North 


188  LIFE    OF 

America ;  but,  as  no  intimation  was  given  that 
he  had  the  power  to  propose  any  other  terms 
than  those  which  had  been  before  rejected, 
Congress  declined  giving  him  a  passport  for 
himself  and  Admiral  Dio'by,  who.  he  inform 
ed  Congress,  were  appointed  to  make  known 
to  them,  in  person,  the  resolutions  of  Parlia 
ment. 

In  August  Sir  Guy  Carlton  gave  Washing 
ton  the  information  that  Parliament  had  sent 
a  minister  to  Paris,  who  had  the  power  to 
treat  with  all  the  parties  at  war,  and  that  pro 
posals  for  a  general  peace  were  then  under 
consideration;  and  that  the  minister  had  been 
directed  to  offer,  in  the  first  place,  that  the  in 
dependence  of  the  "  Thirteen  Provinces" 
should  be  acknowledged. 

The  American  commissioners,  John  Adams, 
Benjamin  Franklin,  John  Jay,  and  Henry 
Laurens,  who  were  in  Paris,  received  the 
proposals  for  peace,  and  formed  a  treaty  which 
satisfied  every  reasonable  demand  of  America. 
This  was  signed  on  the  30th  November,  1782, 
but  it  was  not  to  be  considered  as  entirely 
concluded,  until  a  treaty  should  be  formed  be 
tween  England  and  France,  which  was  done 
on  the  20th  January,  1783. 

When  the  American  army  had  the  expecta 
tion  of  soon  being  dismissed  from  service,  they 
became  anxious  about  the  pay  that  was  due 
to  them,  and  which  it  was  absolutely  necessa 
ry  they  should  receive,  to  enable  them  to  re- 


WASHINGTON.  189 

turn  to  their  families.  A  very  artful  address 
was  circulated  through  the  camp  on  the  Hud 
son  river,  for  the  purpose  of  inducing  them  to 
form  some  desperate  resolutions  to  force  the 
government  to  a  compliance  with  their  demand 
for  payment.  The  address  was  accompanied 
by  an  invitation  to  all  the  officers  to  meet  on 
the  next  day,  and  take  the  subject  into  consi 
deration.  Washington  was  in  camp,  and  his 
firmness  and  judgment  did  not  forsake  him  on 
this  important  occasion.  In  his  general  or 
ders  he  noticed  the  address,  and  expressed 
his  belief  that  the  good  sense  of  the  officers 
would  prevent  their  "  paying  any  attention  to 
such  an  irregular  invitation,"  but  invited  them 
to  meet  on  another  day,  when,  he  said,  they 
could  deliberate  on  what  course  they  ought  to 
pursue. 

Before  that  day  arrive<l  he  conversed  sepa 
rately  with  the  officers,  and  used  his  influence 
to  lead  them  to  adopt  measures  which  he  in 
tended  to  propose.  When  they  were  assem 
bled,  he  addressed  them  in  a  calm  and  affec 
tionate  manner ;  entreating  them  to  disregard 
the  efforts  that  were  made  to  induce  them  to  act 
lisgracefully,  and  assuring  them  of  his  confi- 
ence  that  Congress  would  treat  them  justly. 

This  address  from  one  whom  they  loved 
and  had  been  accustomed  to  obey, — in  whose 
judgment  and  affection  they  had  perfect  confi 
dence,  could  not  fail  to  influence  the  arnry, 
and  the  officers  immediately  formed  resolu- 


190  LIFE    OF 

tions  which  satisfied  their  anxious  comman 
der,  and  proved  the  strength  of  their  respect 
for  his  advice.  It  has  been  said  that  "per 
haps,  in  no  instance,  did  the  United  States  re 
ceive  from  heaven  a  more  signal  deliverance 
through  the  hands  of  Washington,  than  in  the 
termination  of  this  serious  transaction."  His 
conduct  gave  a  new  proof  of  the  kindness  of 
his  heart,  soundness  of  his  judgment,  and  pu 
rity  of  the  love  of  his  country.  He  wrote  to 
Congress  an  account  of  what  had  occurred ; 
and  earnestly  entreated  that  the  just  demands 
of  the  army  might  be  immediately  attended  to, 
and  that  provision  might  be  made  for  a  fur 
ther  compensation  than  a  mere  pay  which  was 
due  to  the  officers.  He  said,  "  if  (as  has  been 
suggested  for  the  purpose  of  inflaming  their 
passions,)  the  officers  of  the  army  are  to  be 
the  only  sufferers  bj  this  revolution  ;  if  retiring 
from  the  field  they  are  to  grow  old  in  poverty, 
wretchedness  and  contempt,  and  owe  the  mi 
serable  remnant  of  that  life  to  charity,  which 
has  hitherto  been  spent  in  honour,  then  shall 
I  have  learned  what  ingratitude  is  ;  then  shall 
I  have  realized  a  talft  which  will  imbitter  every 
moment  of  my  futuve  life." 

Congress  receivej  a  petition  from  the  offi 
cers,  and  then  formed  a  resolution,  that  in  ad 
dition  to  the  pay  due  to  them,  they  should 
receive  full  pay  tor  five  years;  but  they  knew 
it  would  be  some  time  before  the  money  could 
be  raised.  The  officers  were  satisfied  with 


WASHINGTON.  191 

the  promise,  and  in  the  course  of  the  summer 
a  large  portion  of  the  troops  returned  to  their 
homes. 

A  few  new  recruits,  who  were  stationed  at 
Lancaster,  marched  to  Philadelphia  and  placed 
sentinels  at  the  doors  of  the  State  House, 
where  Congress  were  sitting,  and  threatened 
to  attack  them  if  their  demands  for  pay  were 
not  granted  within  twenty  minutes.  They 
did  not  perform  their  threat,  but  kept  Con 
gress  prisoners  for  three  hours. 

When  General  Washington  heard  of  this 
outrage,  he  sent  fifteen  hundred  men  to  quell 
the  mutineers,  but  this  had  been  done  withou* 
any  blood  being  shed  before  the  troops  arrived. 
He  wrote  to  Congress  that  he  felt  much  dis 
tressed  on  hearing  of  the  insult  which  had 
been  offered  by  these  "  soldiers  of  a  day ;" 
and  contrasted  their  conduct  with  that  of  the 
soldiers  who  had  "borne  the  heat  and  burden 
of  the  war ;  veterans,"  he  said,  "  who  have 
patiently  endured  nakedness,  hunger  and  cold  ; 
who  have  suffered  and  bled  without  a  murmur, 
and  who,  with  perfect  good  order  have  retired 
to  their  homes  without  a  settlement  of  their 
accounts,  or  a  farthing  of  money  in  their  pock 
ets.  WTe  are  as  much  astonished  at  the  virtues 
of  the  latter,  as  we  are  struck  with  horror  and 
detestation  at  the  proceedings  of  the  former." 
In  consequence  of  the  insult,  Congress  ad 
journed,  to  meet  at  Princeton,  in  New  Jersey, 
in  the  close  of  the  month  of  June,  1783.  They 


192  LIFE    OF 

sat  there  in  the  Library  room  of  the  College 
for  about  three  months  ;  and  then  adjourned  to 
meet  at  Annapolis,  in  Maryland. 

The  seeds  of  freedom  which  had  been  sown 
in  weakness,  and  guarded  with  toil  through 
eight  years,  produced  a  rich  harvest  in  the 
blessings  of  independence  and  peace,  which 
spread  quickly  over  the  United  States  ;  and 
every  American  heart  had  cause  to  say,  with 
humble  gratitude,  to  the  Great  Ruler  of  events, 
"0  thou  that  savest  by  thy  right  hand  them 
that  put  their  trust  in  thee,  from  those  that 
rise  up  against  them- — thou  hast  been  our 
helper." 

When  General  Washington  had  proclaimed 
to  his  army  on  the  19th  of  April,  the  tidings  of 
a  universal  peace,  he  said,  "  on  such  a  happy 
day,  which  is  the  harbinger  of  peace  ;  a  day 
which  completes  the  eight  years  of  the  war,  it 
would  be  ingratitude  not  to  rejoice,  it  would  be 
insensibility  not  to  participate  in  the  general 
felicity ;"  and  he  directed  that  the  Chaplains, 
with  their  several  brigades,  should  "  render 
thanks  to  Almighty  God  for  all  his  mercies, 
particularly  for  his  overruling  the  wrath  of  man 
to  his  owii  glory  ;  and  causing  the  rage  of  war 
to  cease  among  the  nations."  When  he  dis 
missed  the  troops  from  service  on  the  2d  of 
November,  he  gave  ihem  serious  and  affection 
ate  advice  as  to  their  future  conduct ;  and  as 
sured  them  that  he  should  recommend  them  to 
their  grateful  country,  and  in  his  prayers  "to  the 


WASHINGTON.  193 

God  of  armies."  Earnestly  desiring  that  his 
countrymen  might  secure  a  continuance  of  the 
favour  of  heaven,  he  wrote  an  address  to  the 
governors  of  the  different  states,  which  address 
he  said  he  wished  them  to  consider  as  "the 
legacy  of  one  who  had  ardently  desired  on  all 
occasions  to  be  useful  to  his  country ;  and  who, 
even  in  the  shade  of  retirement,  would  not 
fail  to  implore  the  divine  benediction  upon 
it."  The  address  contained  important  and 
wise  counsel,  and  he  concluded  it  with  the 
assurance,  "  I  now  make  it  my  earnest  prayer, 
that  God  would  have  you  and  the  state  over 
which  you  preside,  in  his  holy  protection, 
and  that  he  would  incline  the  hearts  of  the 
citizens  to  cultivate  a  spirit  of  subordination, 
and  obedience  to  government,  and  to  entertain  a 
brotherly  affection  and  love  for  one  another ; 
for  their  fellow  citizens  of  the  United  States 
at  large,  and  particularly  for  their  brethren 
who  have  served  in  the  field ;  and  finally,  that 
he  would  be  most  graciously  pleased  to  dis 
pose  us  all  to  do  justice,  to  love  mercy,  and 
to  demean  ourselves  with  that  charity,  hu 
mility,  and  pacific  temper  of  mind,  which 
were  the  characteristics  of  the  Divine  Au 
thor  of  our  blessed  religion  ;  without  an  hum 
ble  imitation  of  whose  example  in  these  things 
we  can  never  hope  to  be  a  happy  nation." 

In   November  all  the  English  troops  left 
New  York',  and  General  Washington  entered 
it  accompanied  by  Governor  Clinton  and  a 
R 


194  LIFE    OF 

number  of  American  officers.  Many  Americaur 
from  distant  places  visited  New  York,  to 
units  with  their  countrymen  thei£  in  public 
expressions  of  joy  ;  one  of  this  number  was 
General  Washington's  nephew,  Bushrod 
Washington,  then  a  youth,  and  afterwards  an 
eminent  and  highly  respected  Judge,  of  the 
Supreme  court  of  the  Uniied  States.  The 
following  anecdote  connected  with  that  visit, 
he  kindly  communicated  for  this  biography, 
in  a  letter  dated  Mount  Vernon,  June  1st  1829. 
"  In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1782  I  was  sent 
by  my  father  to  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose 
of  prosecuting  the  study  of  law.  It  was  my 
good  fortune  to  meet  General  Washington 
there.  Within  a  few  days  after  my  arrival, 
but  not  until  he  had  placed  me  in  the  office  of 
Mr.  Wilson,  and  secured  for  me  the  counte 
nance  and  kind  attention  of  some  of  his  friends 
in  that  city,  he  returned  to  the  state  of  New 
York.  Upon  that  occasion,  or  at  a  subsequent 
period,  (I  cannot  now  recollect  which,)  he 
requested  me  to  make  inquiries  respecting  n, 
kind  of  cloth  which  he  particularly  described, 
and  wished  to  purchase,  and  to  inform  him 
by  letter  the  price,  and  where  it  was  to  be 
procured.  I  readily  promised  an  early  com 
pliance  with  this  request,  and  intended,  I  doubt 
not,  at  the  time,  conscientiously  to  fulfil  my 
engagement.  I  postponed  doing  so,  however, 
from  day  to  day,  until  the  subjedt  was  for 
gotten  altogether  ;  or  was  too  seldom  thought 


WASHINGTON.  195 

of,  to  leave  more  than  a  very  slight  impression 
upon  my  mind.  About  the  time  when  the 
evacuation  of  New  York,  by  the  British  troops 
was  to  be  commemorated  in  that  city,  the  Ge 
neral  wrote  to  me,  giving  me  permission  to  be 
present  on  that  occasion,  and  enclosing  me 
money  for  my  expenses.  On  my  arrival  in  New 
York,  I  called  at  his  lodgings,  and  was  received 
by  him  with  his  former  kindness.  After  some 
general  conversation,  he  asked  me  if  I  had  at 
tended  to  his  request  respecting  the  cloth,  and 
what  had  been  the  result  of  my  inquiries  ? 
My  feelings,  at  that  moment,  may  be  imagined, 
— it  is  not  in  my  power  to  describe  them.  I 
had  no  excuse  to  offer,  and  as  soon  as  the 
power  of  speech  was  allowed  me,  I  acknow 
ledged  my  delinquency.  Turning  to  me  with 
a  mildness  which  I  did  not  deserve,  but  with 
an  impressiveness  in  his  manner  which  I  have 
never  forgotten,  he  observed,  "  remember, 
young  man,  never  in  future  to  make  a  pro 
mise,  even  of  a  trivial  kind,  the  nature  and 
extent  of  which  you  have  not  duly  considered; 
having  made  it,  let  nothing  prevent  a  punc 
tual  performance  of  it,  if  it  be  within  your 
power."  He  then  dismissed  me  without  an 
additional  reproach  or  observation." 

General  Washington  remained  in  New 
York,  until  December,  and  when  the  day  ar 
rived  on  which  he  had  determined  to  leave  it, 
the  officers  of  the  army  assembled  to  bid  him 
farewell.  When  their  loved  commander  en- 


196  LIFE    OF 

tered  the  room  in  which  they  were,  he  could 
not  speak  for  several  moments  ;  but,  when  he 
had  calmed  his  strong  feelings,  he  said  "  with 
a  heart,  full  of  love  and  gratitude,  I  now  take 
leave  of  you  ;  I  most  devoutly  wish  that  your 
latter  days  may  be  as  prosperous  and  happy 
as  your  former  have  been  honourable.  I  can 
not  come  to  each  of  you  to  take  my  leave,  but 
shall  be  obliged  to  you  if  each  of  you  will 
come  and  take  me  by  the  hand."  General 
Knox,  who  was  nearest  to  him,  turned,  and 
Washington  took  his  hand,  and  then  put  his 
arms  around  him,  and  in  the  same  aifection- 
ate  manner  embraced  each  officer.  A  tear 
from  the  heart  filled  every  eye  ;  but  no  word 
could  be  uttered  to  break  the  silence  of  the 
affecting  scene.  Washington  left  the  room, 
and  the  officers  followed  him  in  noiseless  pro 
cession,  and  with  sad-  countenances  to  the 
boat  which  was  to  convey  him  away  from 
them.  Washington  stepped  into  the  boat,  and 
turning  towards  the  shore  waved  his  hat  with 
out  speaking  ;  the  officers  returned  the  same 
last  farewell,  and  continued  to  gaze  after  their 
beloved  commander  until  they  could  no  lon 
ger  distinguish  his  form,  and  then  they  re 
turned  in  sadness  to  the  place  where  they  had 
assembled. 

\Vashington  could  not  enjoy  rest  until  he 
had  performed  all  the  duties  which  his  up 
right  mind  dictated,  and  he  proceeded  to  Phi 
ladelphia  to  give  an  account  of  the  manner  in 


WASHINGTON.  197 

which  he  had  expended  the  public  money. 
All  his  accounts  were  written  by  himself,  and 
every  entry  made  in  the  most  exact  manner, 
so  as  to  give  the  least  trouble  in  comparing 
them  with  the  receipts  which  accompanied 
them.  He  made  no  charge  for  his  services, 
but  had  spent  a  considerable  portion  of  his 
own  fortune.  The  regularity  and  minuteness 
with  which  he  had  kept  an  account  of  every 
sum  received  and  expended  during  eight 
years,  and  the  faithfulness  with  which  he  had, 
in  the  midst  of  his  many  employments,  at 
tended  to  having  the  public  money  used  in 
the  most  economical  and  advantageous  man 
ner,  proved  that  he  had  a  right  to  the  noble 
title  of  an  honest  .man.  If  he  had  not  merited 
that,  all  his  former  titles  would  have  been 
without  value.  From  Philadelphia  he  pro 
ceeded  to  Annapolis,  where  Congress  was 
sitting,  and  there  he  proved  that  he  was  a  pa 
triot,  by  giving  back  the  power  which  had 
been  placed  in  his  hands,  when  he  could  no 
longer  use  it  for  the  benefit  of  his  country. 
Congress  appointed  the  23d  December  for  re 
ceiving  his  resignation,  and  a  crowd  of  specta 
tors  witnessed  the  interesting  ceremony.  He 
was  received  by  Congress  as  the  "  founder 
and  guardian  of  the  republic."  Feeling  the 
importance  of  the  blessings  of  freedom  and 
peace  which  the  Great  liul^r  of  the  universe 
had  made  Washington  an  «~ent  10  obtain  for 
them,  they  looked  &t  ha^,  vrtien  about  to  \Q 


198  LIFE    OF 

sign  his  power,  with  emotions  of  admiration 
and  gratitude  ;  and,  recollecting  how  closely 
they  had  been  connected  with  him  in  scenes 
of  distress  and  danger,  there  were  few  eyes 
unwet  with  a  tear.  With  unambitious  dignity 
he  rose  and  addressed  General  Mifflin,  the 
President  of  Congress.  He  said,  "  I  resign 
with  satisfaction  the  appointment  I  accepted 
with  diffidence  ;  a  diffidence  in  my  abilities  to 
accomplish  so  arduous  a  task,  which,  how 
ever,  was  superseded  by  a  confidence  in  the 
rectitude  of  our  cause,  the  support  of  the  su 
preme  power  of  the  union  and  the  patronage 
of  heaven.  The  successful  termination  of  the 
war  has  verified  the  most  sanguine  expecta 
tions  ;  and  my  gratitude  for  the  interposition 
of  Providence,  and  the  assistance  I  have  re 
ceived  from  my  countrymen,  increases  with 
every  review  of  the  momentous  contest.  *  *  * 
I  consider  it  as  an  indispensable  duty  to  close 
this  last  act  of  my  official  life,  by  commending 
the  interests  of  our  dearest  country  to  the  pro 
tection  of  Almighty  God,  and  those  who  have 
the  superintendence  of  them  to  his  holy  keep 
ing.  Having  now  finished  the  work  assigned 
roe,  I  retire  from  the  great  theatre  of  action, 
and  bidding  an  affectionate  farewell  to  this 
august  body,  under  whose  orders  I  have  so 
long  acted,  I  here  offer  my  commission,  and 
take  my  leave  of  all  the  employments  of  public 
life.!r  He  then  gave  his  commission  to  the 
President,  who,  when  he  had  received  it,  an 


WASHINGTON.  199 

swered  him  in  the  name  of  Congress,  and  said, 
"  Having  defended  the  standard  of  liberty  iri 
tliis  new  world  :  having  taught  a  lesson  useful 
to  those  who  inflict,  and  to  those  who  feel  op 
pression,  you  retire  from  the  great  theatre  of 
action  with  the  blessings  of  your  fellow-citi 
zens  ;  but  the  glory  of  your  virtues  will  not 
terminate  with  your  military  command;  it 
will  continue  to  animate  remotest  ao-es.  We 
join  you  in  commending  the  interests  of  our 
dearest  country  to  the  protection  of  Almighty 
God,  beseeching  him  to  dispose  the  hearts  and 
minds  of  its  citizens  to  improve  the  opportu 
nity  afforded  to  them  of  becoming  a  happy 
and  respectable  nation.  And  for  you,  we  ad 
dress  to  Him  our  earnest  prayers,  that  a  life 
so  beloved  may  be  fostered  with  all  his  care  ; 
that  your  days  may  be  as  happy  as  they  have 
been  illustrious  ;  and  that  he  will  finally  give 
you  that  reward  which  this  word  cannot  give." 

History  presents  no  more  elevated  scene 
than  that  of  a  successful  hero,  at  the  close  of  a 
long  war,  giving  up  his  command,  and  a  na 
tion,  just  having  achieved  its  independence, 
in  the  solemn  act  of  dissolving  its  military 
state,  all  uniting  in  ascribing  praise  to  that 
God  whose  kind  Providence  they  had  enjoy 
ed,  and  commending  each  other  to  his  protec 
tion  in  time,  and  his  favour  throughout'  eter 
nity. 

When  Washinjrton   had  thus  resigned  the 
title  of  "  Commander-in-chief,"  he  took  that 


200  LIFE    OF 

of  private  citizen,  and  retired  to  his  peaceful 
home.  The  satisfaction  he  felt  in  doing  so 
was  expressed  in  a  letter  to  his  friend,  Lafay 
ette,  who  had  returned  to  France  soon  after 
the  surrender  of  Cornwallis.  Washington 
wrote  to  him,  "  At  length  I  have  become  a 
private  citizen,  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac, 
and  under  the  shade  of  my  '  own  vine  and  my 
own  fig-tree.'  and  free  from  the  bustle  of  a 
camp  and  the  busy  cares  of  public  life.  I  have 
not  only  retired  from  all  public  employments, 
but  am  retiring  within  myself,  and  shall  be 
able  to  view  the  solitary  walk,  and  tread  the 
paths  of  private  life,  with  heartfelt  satisfac 
tion.1' 

To  General  Knox  he  thus  addressed  him 
self: — "I  feel  now,  as  I  conceive  a  weary 
traveller  must  do,  who,  after  treading  many  a 
painful  step,  with  a  heavy  burden  on  his 
shoulders,  is  eased  of  the  latter,  having  reach 
ed  the  haven  to  which  all  the  former  were  di 
rected, — and  from  his  house-top,  in  looking 
back  and  tracing  with  eager  eye,  the  meanders 
by  which  he  has  escaped  the  quicksands  and 
mires  which  lay  in  his  way,  and  into  which 
none  but  the  all-powerful  Guide  and  Dispensei 
of  human  events,  could  have  prevented  his 
falling." 

For  several  months  after  his  return  home, 
he  received,  almost  every  day,  addresses  from 
all  parts  of  the  union,  expressing  the  affection 
and  gratitude  of  his  countrymen.  He  deserved 


WASHINGTON.  201 

this,  and  no  doubt  was  gratified  by  it ;  but  the 
praise  of  man  had  no  ill  effect  on  his  modest 
mind.  For  a  little  time,  when  he  awoke  in 
the  morning,  he  would  forget  that  he  was  in 
his  peaceful  home,  and,  as  he  had  been  ac 
customed  to  do,  would  begin  to  think  of  what 
orders  he  should  give  his  army,  or  what  pub 
lie  business  he  should  transact  during  the  day  ; 
but  he  soon  interested  himself  in  the  cultiva 
tion  of  his  farm,  and  in  assisting  his  neigh 
bours  to  improve  theirs  ;  and  for  this  purpose 
he  wrote  to  England  to  obtain  the  best  infor 
mation  of  all  the  improvements  which  were 
discovered  there  in  agriculture. 

When  the  English  ceased  to  act  as  enemies 
of  his  country,  Washington  did  not  cherish 
against  them  feelings  of  resentment.  His  libe 
ral  mind  was  willing  to  acknowledge  their  na 
tional  greatness  and  usefulness,  and  his  heart 
was  one  that  could  estimate  the  virtues  of 
those  individuals  of  the  nation  who  have  de 
voted  their  lives  to  the  promotion  of  the  tem 
poral  and  eternal  interests  of  their  fellow  be 
ings. 

He  travelled  for  a  short  time  through  those 
parts  of  his  country  with  which  he  was  unac 
quainted,  and,  on  his  return,  said  he  had  new 
cause  for  acknowledging  "  the  goodness  of 
that  Providence  which  has  dealt  his  favours 
to  us  with  so  profuse  a  hand."  He  was  de 
sirous  that  these  gracious  gifts  should  not  be 
neglected,  and  he  formed  plans  for  improving 


202  LIFE    OF 

the  navigation  of  some  of  the  extensive  rivers 
which  flow  through  this  country.  He  said  he 
considered  the  extension  of  inland  navigation 
as  "  an  effectual  means  of  cementing  the  union 
of  the  states."  His  plan  was  that  the  naviga 
tion  of  the  eastern  waters  should  be  extended, 
and  communicate  with  the  western  ;  that  these 
again  should  be  opened  from  the  Ohio  to  Lake 
Erie.  Since  his  death  his  design  has  been  ex 
tensively  executed,  and,  by  its  constantly  in 
creasing  advantages,  proving  the  excellence 
of  his  foresight  and  wisdom.  He  succeeded 
in  having  two  companies  formed  for  improving 
the  James  and  Potomac  rivers.  On  this  occa 
sion  the  legislature  of  Virginia  subscribed  for 
the  same  number  of  shares  for  Washington, 
in  each  company,  that  were  to  be  taken  for 
the  state ;  but.  when  informed  of  this,  he  as 
sured  them  that  he  must  decline  accepting  it, 
as  he  had  determined  never  to  change  the  re 
solution  he  had  formed  when  he  entered  into 
public  service,  "to  shut  his  hand  against 
every  pecuniary  recompense  ;"  but  he  pro 
posed  to  the  legislature  that  the  shares  intend 
ed  for  him  should  be  given  to  some  public  in 
stitution,  and  they  were  given  to  two  schools  ; 
one  of  which  was  near  the  Potomac,  and  the 
other  near  James  river. 

General  Lafayette  again  crossed  the  ocean, 
and  visited  Mount  Vernon,  and  no  doubt 
passed  some  interesting  hours  with  his  friend 
Washington.  But  those  hours  of  social  enjoy- 


WASHINGTON.  203 

ment  were  few,  for  these  friends  were  soon 
again  engaged  in  public  scenes  and  cares.  Be 
fore  Lafayette  returned  to  France  he  visited 
the  mother  of  Washington,  to  bid  her  farewell 
and  ask  her  blessing.  She  received  him  kind 
ly,  and  talked  with  him  of  the  happy  pros 
pects  of  her  country,  and  of  the  conduct  of 
her  virtuous  son,  whom  Lafayette  praised  with 
the  warmth  of  strong  attachment. 

She  listened  calmly  to  him,  and  then  re 
plied,  "  /  am  not  surprised  at  what  George 
has  done,  for  he  was  always  a  very  good 
boy." 

On  leaving  this  venerable  woman,  Lafayette 
asked  and  received  her  blessing,  and  bade  her 
a  last  farewell.  When  he  took  leave  of  his 
friend,  he  indulged  a  lively  hope  that  they 
would  once  more  meet ;  but  when  again  he 
visited  rVmerica,  he  was  received  as  the  "  Na 
tion's  Guest,"  and,  instead  of  being  welcomed 
to  Mount  Vernon  by  the  smiles  of  Washing 
ton,  he  was  led  to  his  tomb  to  shed  tears  of 
sorrow. 

Desiring  anxiously  that  his  native  country 
hould  be  freed  from  the  tyrannical  govern 
ment  which  oppressed  it,  Lafayette  felt  a  deep 
interest  in  the  revolution  which  soon  com 
menced  in  France ;  but  his  heart  must  have 
been  pained  by  the  manner  in  which  it  was 
conducted.  In  the  attempt  to  throw  off  the 
-oppression  of  man,  the  restraints  of  morality 
were  cast  away,  and  the  human  passions  raged 


204  LIFE    OF 

uncontrolled.  The  consequences  were  dread 
ful ;  the  tenderest  ties  of  nature  were  disre 
garded, — the  truths  of  religion  were  denied, 
and  the  worship  of  God  abolished.  So  that 
whilst  this  country,  which  looked  to  the  Di 
vine  blessing  for  liberty,  received  it,  France 
has  ever  since  that  time  been  unsettled  and 
unhappy,  and  often  the  scene  of  civil  war  and 
bloodshed. 

Young  Americans  !  as  you  grow  up  to  man 
hood,  and  enjoy  the  great  blessing  of  freedom 
from  all  unjust  and  oppressive  laws  of  man, 
beware  of  wishing  to  be  free  from  the  just  and 
righteous  laws  of  your  Creator,  lest  you  bring 
upon  yourselves  as  a  nation,  the  displeasure  of 
him  whose  "  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  king 
dom,"  and  whose  "dominion  endureth  through 
out  all  generations."  To  those  who  will  not 
obey  him,  he  has  said,  "  I  will  bring  evil  upon 
this  people,  even  the  fruit  of  their  thoughts, 
because  they  have  not  hearkened  unto  my 
word,  nor  to  my  law,  but  have  rejected  it." 
While  you  are  exercising  what  you  call  li 
berty  of  conscience,  remember  the  assurance 
of  him  who  "  taught  as  one  having  authority  :" 
"  If  ye  continue  in  my  word  ye  shall  know 
the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free; 
verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  whosoever  com- 
mitteth  sin  is  the  servant  of  sin."  If  Christ 
"  shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  in 
deed." 


WASHINGTON.  205 

CHAPTER    X. 

1787—1789. 

AFTER  the  Americans  obtained  indepen 
dence,  those  who  thought  wisely  on  public  af 
fairs  were  soon  convinced  that  the  "  Articles 
of  Confederation,"  which  had  united  the  states 
in  time  of  war,  would  not  bind  them  together 
in  harmony  under  one  government  in  time  of 
peace. 

Congress  had  borrowed  money  from  the 
French  nation  during  the  war,  and  they  were 
also  in  debt  to  the  officers  of  the  army,  and  to 
other  Americans  ;  and  were  unable  to  pay  even 
the  interest  of  the  money  due,  because  they 
did  not  possess  the  power  to  tax  the  people, 
or  to  lay  dr. ties  on  imported  goods. 

The  advke  of  Washington  at  the  close  of 
t!i3  war  had  been  too  soon  forgotten.  He  had 
said  then  to  his  countrymen,  "The  path  of 
duty  is  plain  before  us.  Let  us  as  a  nation  be 
just ;  let  us  fulfil  the  public  contracts,  which 
Congress  had  undoubtedly  a  right  to  make  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  on  the  war,  with  the 
same  good  faith  we  suppose  ourselves  bound 
to  perform  our  private  engagements." 

From  his  retirement  he  watched  with  inte 
rest  the  conduct  of  his  countrymen,  and  began 
to  feel  alarmed  lest  they  should  disgrace  them 
selves  as  a  nation.     He  corresponded  on  the 
8 


206  LIFE    OF 

subject  with  the  wise  American  patriots,  who 
used  all  their  influence  to  convince  the  people 
that  it  was  necessary  for  the  credit  and  pros 
perity  of  their  country,  to  give  more  power  to 
Congress  and  to  strengthen  the  bond  of  union. 
There  was  a  great  variety  of  opinions  on  the 
subject,  but  at  length  all  the  states,  except 
Ehode  Island,  agreed  to  choose  members  for  a 
convention  to  plan  a  better  form  of  national 
government.  Virginia  placed  Washington  first 
on  the  list  of  members. 

On  the  second  Monday  in  May,  1787,  the 
Convention  met  at  Philadelphia,  and  chose 
Washington  its  president ;  and,  after  long  and 
serious  consultation  on  the  important  subject, 
that  Constitution  was  formed  under  which,  by 
the  favour  of  a  gracious  Providence,  the  United 
States  have  become  so  prosperous,  and  the 
American  nation  so  happy  and  respectable. 
The  opinions  of  the  members  of  the  Conven 
tion  seemed  to  be  so  opposed  to  each  other  on 
some  points,  that  it  was  feared  they  could 
agree  on  no  plan  that  would  suit  the  whole 
country.  The  debate  was  increasing  in  warmth, 
when  Dr.  Franklin,  with  his  accustomed  wis 
dom  and  coolness,  endeavoured  to  promote 
harmony  by  proposing  an  adjournment  for 
three  days,  that  there  might  be  time  for  seri 
ous  consideration  of  the  subject.  He  con 
cluded  his  speech  to  the  following  effect : — 

"  The  small  progress  we  have  made,  after 
foui  or  five  weeks  close  attendance  and  conti 


WASHINGTON.  207 

nued  reasoning  with  each  other,  our  different 
sentiments  on  almost  every  questio- -,  several 
of  the  last  producing  as  many  noes  as  ayes, 
is,  methinks,  a  melancholy  proof  of  the  im 
perfection  of  the  human  understanding.  We, 
indeed,  seem  iofeel  our  want  of  political  wis 
dom,  since  we  have  been  running  all  about  in 
search  of  it.  We  have  gone  back  to  ancien 
history  for  models  of  government,  and  exa 
mined  the  different  forms  of  those  republics 
which,  having  been  originally  formed  with  the 
seeds  of  their  own  dissolution,  now  no  longer 
exist :  and  we  have  viewed  modern  states  all 
round  Europe,  but  find  none  of  their  constitu 
tions  suitable  to  our  circumstances. 

"In  this  situation  of  this  assembly,  groping 
as  it  were  in  the  dark  to  find  political  truth,  and 
scarcely  able  to  distinguish  it  when  presented 
<o  us,  how  has  it  happened,  sir,  that  we  have 
not  hitherto  once  thought  of  humbly  applying 
to  the  Father  of  Light  to  illuminate  our  under 
standings? — In  the  beginning  of  the  contesi 
with  Britain,  when  we  were  sensible  of  dan 
ger,  we  had  daily  prayers  in  this  room  for 
Divine  protection.  Our  prayers,  sir,  were 
heard  ; — and  they  were  graciously  answered. 
411  of  us,  who  were  engaged  in  the  struggle, 
must  have  observed  frequent  instances  of  a 
superintending  Providence  in  our  favour.  To 
that  kind  Providence  we  owe  this  happy  op 
portunity  of  consulting  in  peace  on  the  means 
of  establishing  our  future  and  national  felicity 


208  LIFE    OF 

And  have  we  now  forgotten  that  powerful 
Friend  ?  Or  do  we  imagine  we  no  longer 
need  his  assistance  ?  I  have  lived,  sir,  a  long 
time  ;  and  the  longer  I  live,  the  more  con 
vincing  proofs  I  see  of  this  truth,  that  God 
governs  in  the  affairs  of  men.  And  if  a  spar 
row  cannot  fall  to  the  ground  without  his  no- 
lice,  is  it  probable  that  an  empire  can  rise 
without  his  aid  ? — We  have  been  assured,  sir, 
in  the  sacred  writings,  that  "except  the  Lord 
build  the  house,  they  labour  in  vain  that  build 
it."  I  firmly  believe  this  ;  and  I  also  believe, 
that  without  his  concurring  aid,  we  shall  suc 
ceed  in  this  political  building  no  better  than 
the  builders  of  Babel :  we  shall  be  divided  by 
our  little,  partial,  local  interests  ;  our  projects 
will  be  confounded ;  and  we  ourselves  shall 
become  a  reproach  and  a  by-word  down  to 
future  ages.  And,  what  is  worse,  mankind 
may  hereafter,  from  this  unfortunate  instance, 
despair  of  establishing  government  by  human 
wisdom,  and  leave  it  to  chance,  war,  and  con 
quest.  I  therefore  beg  leave  to  move, 

"  That  henceforth  prayers,  imploring  the 
assistance  of  Heaven,  and  its  blessing  on 
our  deliberations,  be  made  in  this  assembly 
every  morning  before  we  proceed  to  business  ; 
and  that  one  or  more  of  the  clergy  of  this  city 
be  requested  to  officiate  in  that  service." 

One  member  only  opposed  this  motion,  and 
a  person  who  was  present  relates,  that  whilst 
he  was  making  his  objections,  Washington 


WASHINGTON. 

fixed  his  eye  upon  him  with  an  expression  of 
mingled  surprise  and  indignation.  No  one 
condescended  to  notice  the  opposition,  and 
the  proposal  was  at  once  carried  by  the  votes 
of  all  the  other  members.  The  adjournment, 
also,  according  to  his  suggestion,  took  place, 
and,  after  the  Convention  had  been  opened 
with  prayer,  when  they  met  again,  Dr.  Frank 
lin  stated  the  necessity  and  equity  of  mutual 
concessions  from  all  parts  of  the  Union.  His 
views  were  adopted,  and  the  important  busi 
ness,  on  which  they  were  so  warm  when  they 
separated,  was  soon  despatched,  and  the  whole 
constitution  at  length  agreed  to.  The  people 
have  preserved  this,  their  own  chosen  constitu 
tion,  for  more  than  fifty  years,  and  have  seen 
their  happiness,  prosperity  and  renown,  grow 
with  its  growth,  and  strengthen  with  its  strength. 
How  firmly  should  every  American  delight  to 
cherish  a  union  which  has  been  so  blessed 
by  the  God  of  nations,  and  ardently  desire 
that  "  the  flag  of  the  republic,  now  known 
and  honoured  throughout  the  earth,  may  con 
tinue  to  float  over  the  sea  and  over  the  land, 
without  one  stripe  erased  or  polluted,  or  a  sin 
gle  star  obscured." 

The  constitution  was  signed  by  the  dele 
gates  from  twelve  states,  on  the  17th  Septem 
ber,  1787,  and,  when  made  known  to  the 
people,  they  were  of  one  opinion,  that  Wash 
ington  was  the  man  most  worthy  to  be  the 
President  of  the  United  States.  One  of  his 
s2 


210  LIFE    OF 

friends,  Colonel  Lee,  who  had  an  opportunity 
of  hearing  the  wishes  which  were  universally 
expressed  by  his  countrymen,  wrote  to  Wash 
ington,  to  entreat  that  he  would  not  suffer  his 
love  of  private  life  to  prevent  his  consenting 
to  engage  again  in  public  duties ;  and  added, 
"  If  the  same  success  should  attend  your  ef 
forts  on  this  important  occasion  which  has  dis 
tinguished  you  hitherto,  then  to  be  sure  you 
will  have  spent  a  life  which  Providence  rare 
ly,  if  ever,  gave  to  the  lot  of  one  man." 

Elections  were  held  throughout  the  United 
States,  and,  when  the  votes  were  opened  and 
counted  in  the  Senate,  it  was  found  that  Wash 
ington  was  unanimously  elected. 

On  the  14th  April,  1789,  the  fifty-seventh 
year  of  his  age,  Congress  informed  him  of  his 
appointment,  and  he  accepted  it,  because  it 
was.  the  call  of  his  countrymen  to  serve  them. 
On  this  occasion  he  wrote  to  one  of  his  friends 
his  sentiments  on  this  subject,  which  showed 
the  dignity  and  modesty  of  his  character ;  he 
said.  "  I  am  unwilling  in  the  evening  of  a 
life,  nearly  consumed  in  public  cares,  to  quit 
a  peaceful  abode  for  an  ocean  of  difficulties, 
without  the  competency  of  political  skill,  abili 
ties,  and  inclination,  which  are  necessary  to 
manage  the  helm.  I  am  sensible  that  I  am 
embarking  the  voice  of  the  people  and  a  good 
name  of  my  own,  on  this  voyage  ;  but  what 
returns  will  be  made  for  them,  Heaven  alone 
can  foretell, — integrity  and  firmness  are  all  I 


WASHINGTON.  211 

can  promise ;  these,  be  the  voyage  long  or 
short,  shall  never  forsake  me,  although  I  may 
be  deserted  by  all  men ;  for  of  the  consolations 
which  are  to  be  derived  from  these,  under 
any  circumstances,  the  world  cannot  depme 
me." 

He  visited  his  respected  mother  to  inform 
her  of  his  appointment.  He  had  endeavoured 
to  prevail  on  her  to  make  Mount  Vernon  the 
home  of  her  latter  years  ;  but  she  would  not 
consent  to  leave  her  humble  dwelling,  which 
was  particularly  dear  to  her  from  having  near 
it  a  rural  spot,  made  private  by  surrounding 
rocks  and  trees,  where  she  daily  offered  to 
her  Creator  her  confessions  and  prayers. 
When  her  son  told  her  he  must  bid  her  fare 
well,  he  said,  "  As  soon  as  the  weight  of  pub 
lic  business,  which  must  necessarily  attend 
the  outset  of  a  new  government,  can  be  dis 
posed  of,  I  shall  return  to  Virginia,  and" — 
"  You  will  see  me  no  more,"  said  his  mother, 
interrupting  him,  "  My  great  age  warns  me, 
that  I  shall  not  be  long  in  this  world, — I  trust 
in  God  that  I  may  be  somewhat  prepared  for 
a  better.  Go,  George,  go  my  son  !  and  per 
form  your  duties,  and  may  the  blessing  of 
God,  and  that  of  a  mother,  be  with  you  al 
ways."  She  cast  her  arms  around  his  neck, 
and  resting  his  head  on  the  shoulder  of  his 
aged  parent,  the  Iruly  great  man  shed  tears 
of  filial  tenderness. 

He  parted  from  her  with  the  sad  feeling, 


212  LIFE    OF 

that  he  should  indeed  see  her  no  more,  and  in 
a  short  time,  these  painful  apprehensions  were 
realized.  She  was  eighty-five  years  old  at  the 
time  of  her  death ;  and  was  buried  near  Fre- 
dericksburgh,  Va.  Over  her  grave,  a  gentleman 
of  New  York  lias  lately  placed  a  noble  monu 
ment,  on  which  is  only  this  inscription : 

MARY, 

THE    MOTHER   OF    WASHINGTON. 


In  the  middle  of  April,  Washington  was 
called  by  duty  to  bid  farewell  to  his  farm.  He 
set  off  for  New  York,  the  seat  of  government, 
and  in  the  journal,  which  it  was  his  custom 
to  keep,  he  wrote  at  the  close  of  that  day, 
thus:  "About  ten  o'clock  I  bade  adieu  to 
Mount  Vernon,  to  private  life,  and  to  domes 
tic  felicity,  and  with  a  mind  oppressed  with 
more  anxious  and  painful  sensations  than  1 
have  words  to  express,  set  out  for  New  York, 
— with  the  best  dispositions  to  render  service 
to  my  country  in  obedience  to  its  call,  but 
with  less  hope  of  answering  its  expectations." 

His  neighbours  and  the  citizens  of  Alexan 
dria  assembled,  and  met  him  on  the  road  to 
attend  him  to  that  place,  where  they  invited 
him  to  eat  a  parting  dinner  with  them.  When 
he  was  leaving  them  to  proceed  on  his  jour 
ney,  they  said  in  their  affectionate  address  to 
him,  "  Again  your  country  commands  your 
care.  The  first,  the  best  of  citizens,  must 


WASHINGTON.  213 

leave  us.  Our  aged  must  lose  their  orna 
ment, — our  youth,  their  model, — our  agricul 
ture,  its  improver, — our  commerce,  its  friend, 
— our  academy,  its  protector, — our  poor,  theii 
benefactor.  Farewell !  Go,  and  make  a 
grateful  people  happy. — To  that  Being,  who 
maketh  and  unmaketh  at  his  will,  we  com 
mend  you  ;  and  after  the  accomplishment  of 
the  arduous  business  to  whfch  you  are  called, 
may  he  restore  to  us  again  the  best  of  men, 
and  the  most  beloved  fellow-citizen." 

After  thanking  them  for  their  expressions 
of  kindness,  Washington  said,  in  reply, — 
"The  whole  tenor  of  my  life  has  been  open 
to  your  inspection;  and  my  past  actions,  ra 
ther  than  my  present  declarations,  must  be  the 
pledge  of  my  future  conduct.  All  that  now 
remains  for  me,  is  to  commit  myself  and  you 
to  the  protection  of  that  beneficent  Being, 
who  on  a  former  occasion,  hath  happily 
brought  us  together,  after  a  long"  and  distress 
ing  separation.  Perhaps  the  same  gracious 
Providence  will  again  indulge  me.  Unuttera 
ble  sensations  must  then  be  left  to  more  ex 
pressive  silence  ;  while  from  an  aching"  heart 
I  bid  you  all,  my  affectionate  friends  and  kind 
neighbours,  farewell." 

He  wished  his  journey  to  be  private  ;  but 
preparations  were  made  in  every  town  and 
village  through  which  he  was  to  pass,  to  give 
him  proofs  of  the  gratitude  of  his  countrymen 
for  his  past  services,  and  of  their  confidence, 


214  LIFE    OF 

that  his  future  ones  would  be  blessings  to 
them. 

Philadelphia  was  illuminated,  and  the  next 
day  he  was  welcomed  to  Trenton  with  jiby. 
On  the  bridge  over  the  Assumpinck  Creek,  an 
arch  had  been  erected,  and  ornamented  with 
laurels  and  flowers,  and  it  was  supported  by 
thirteen  pillars,  entwined  with  wreaths  of 
evergreen.  On  the  front  of  the  arch  was  in 
scribed,  in  large  letters,  the  date  of  the  first 
battle  of  Trenton,  and  of  the  day  on  which  the 
American  troops  had  made  a  bold  stand  on  the 
borders  of  the  Assumpinck,  by  which  the  pro 
gress  of  the  English  army  had  been  stopped. 
Under  this  was  written,  "The  defender  of 
the  mothers  will  be  the  protector  of  the  daugh 
ters."  As  he  left  his  carriage  to  walk  over 
the  bridge,  a  company  of  young  girls  went  be 
fore  him,  and  strewed  fresh  flowers  in  his 
path. 

At  Elizabethtown  a  committee  from  Con 
gress  received  him,  and  conducted  him  to  the 
Point,  where  he  entered  a  handsome  boat,  that 
had  been  prepared  to  convey  him  to  New 
York. 

His  return  to  that  city  was  not  in  silence, 
as  his  departure  from  it  had  been ;  and  in  his 
journal  he  remarked,  that  the  decorations  of 
the  ships,  the  music  in  the  boats,  the  roar  of 
the  cannon,  and  the  acclamations  of  the  peo 
ple,  filled  him  with  sensations  not  more  pleas 
ing  than  painful,  as  he  thought  how  changed 


WASHINGTON.  215 

he  scene  might  be  "  after  all  his  labours  to 
do  good." 

The  30th  day  of  April  was  appointed  for 
taking  the  solemn  oath  with  which  the  consti 
tution  requires  the  president  to  commence  the 
duties  of  his  important  office.  In  the  morning 
of  that  day,  the  clergymen  of  the  city  met 
their  congregations,  to  unite  in  offering  pray 
ers  to  God  for  his  blessing  on  the  people,  and 
the  president  whom  they  had  chosen. 

The  oath  was  administered  by  R.  R.  Liv 
ingston,  Chancellor  of  the  state  of  New  York, 
and  the  interesting  ceremony  was  witnessed 
by  a  great  concourse  of  people,  for  it  was  per 
formed  in  an  open  gallery  adjoining  the  senate 
chamber,  and  fronting  Broad  street.  All  stood 
in  solemn  silence,  until  the  oath  was  taken, 
and  then,  when  the  Chancellor  proclaimed  that 
GEORGE  WASHINGTON  WAS  THE  PRESIDENT  OF 
THE  UNITED  STATES,  a  shout  of  joy  burst 
from  many  thousands  of  grateful  and  affec 
tionate  hearts.  The  president  went  into  the 
senate  chamber,  and  in  a  modest  but  dignified 
manner,  addressed  the  senate  and  house  of  re 
presentatives. 

In  the  course  of  his  address  he  said,  "  It 
will  be  peculiarly  improper  to  omit,  in  this 
first  official  act,  my  fervent  supplications  to 
hat  Almighty  Being,  who  rules  over  the  uni 
verse, — who  presides  in  the  councils  of  na 
tions,  and  whose  providential  aid  can  supply 
every  human  defect, — that  his  benediction 


216  LIFE    OF 

may  consecrate  to  the  liberties  and  happiness 
of  the  people  of  the  United  States,  a  govern 
ment  instituted  by  themselves  for  these  essen 
tial  purposes, — and  may  enable  every  instru 
ment  employed  in  its  administration  to  execute 
with  success  the  functions  allotted  to  his 
charge.  In  tendering  this  homage  to  the  great 
Author  of  every  public  and  private  good,  I 
assure  myself  that  it  expresses  your  senti 
ments  not  less  than  my  own  ;  nor  those  of 
my  fellow-citizens  at  large,  less  than  either. 
No  people  can  be  bound  to  acknowledge  and 
adore  the  invisible  hand  which  conducts  the 
affairs  of  men,  more  than  the  people  of  the 
United  States.  Every  step  by  which  they 
have  advanced  to  the  character  of  an  indepen 
dent  nation,  seems  to  have  been  distinguished 
by  some  token  of  providential  agency." 

In  conclusion,  he  said,  "  I  shall  take  my 
present  leave,  but  not  without  resorting  once 
more  to  the  benign  Parent  of  the  human  race, 
in  humble  supplication,  that  since  he  has  been 
pleased  to  favour  the  American  people  with 
opportunities  for  deliberating  in  perfect  tran 
quillity,  and  dispositions  for  deciding  with 
unparalleled  unanimity  on  a  form  of  govern 
ment  for  the  security  of  their  union  and  ad 
vancement  of  their  happiness  ;  so  his  divine 
blessing  may  be  equally  conspicuous,  in  the 
enlarged  views,  the  temperate  consultations 
and  wise  measures,  on  which  the  success  of 
this  government  must  depend." 


WASHINGTON.  217 

The  Senate,  in  reply,  expressed  their  high 
estimation  of  his  wisdom  and  virtue,  and  said, 
•'  All  that  remains  is  that  we  join  in  your  fer 
vent  supplications  for  the  blessing  of  Heaven 
on  our  country  ;  and  that  we  add  our  own  for 
the  choicest  of  those  blessings  on  the  most 
beloved  of  her  citizens."  The  important  cere 
mony  of  that  day  was  closed  with  divine  wor 
ship. 

When  Washington  entered  on  the  public 
duties  of  his  office,  he  did  not  forget  that  ju 
dicious  regulations  were  needful  for  the  gov 
ernment  of  his  own  household.  He  made 
rules  for  his  family,  which  every  member 
knew  must  not  be  disregarded.  He  directed 
that  an  account  should  be  given  to  him  every 
week  of  the  money  that  was  expended.  He 
wished  to  entertain  with  generous  hospitality 
all  visiters  whom  it  was  proper  to  receive  ; 
but  he  would  not  permit  any  needless  expense. 
In  making  regulations  for  his  family  he  re 
membered  the  Sabbath  ;  he  always  attended 
a  place  of  worship,  and  was  not  in  the  cus 
tom  of  receiving  any  visiters,  except  Mr. 
Trumbull,  who  was  then  Speaker  of  Congress, 
and  afterwards  the  Governor  of  Connecticut. 
He  was  in  the  habit  of  spending  an  hour  with 
ihe  President  on  every  Sabbath  evening,  and 
was  so  regular  in  the  time  of  his  visit,  that 
the  servants,  by  looking  at  the  clock,  knew 
to  a  moment  when  to  be  ready  to  open  the 
door  to  the  "speaker's  bell."  as  the v  called 
T 


218  LIFE    OF 

the  door   bell    on   Sunday   evening,    because 
no  other  hand  than  his  then  rung  it. 

The  president  did  not  return  any  visits, 
and  appointed  certain  hours  of  two  days  in 
the  week,  for  being  visited  by  persons  who 
had  no  business  to  transact  with  him.  In  the 
performance  of  his  duties,  the  president  set 
an  example  of  punctuality,  and  by  the  strictest 
regard  to  it,  in  the  smallest  as  well  as  the 
greatest  concerns,  gave  a  plain  and  excellent 
lesson  on  the  value  of  time,  and  importance 
of  truth.  In  making  an  appointment  he 
named  the  exact  time,  that  not  one  moment 
might  be  wasted  in  the  idleness  which  uncer 
tainty  in  this  respect  often  occasions.  All  his 
promises  were  given  with  "  the  lip  of  truth," 
therefore  he  was  punctual  to  a  moment  in 
performing  them.  He  required  punctuality 
in  every  member  of  his  household,  and  was 
once  heard  to  say,  to  a  visiter,  who  had  come 
late  to  dinner,  "  Our  cook  never  asks  if  the 
company  has  come,  but  if  the  hour  has  come." 
He  had  fixed  on  a  convenient  hour  for  mem 
bers  of  Congress  and  other  invited  guests  to 
dine  with  him,  and  being  careful  to  have  the 
clock  which  stood  in  his  entry  exactly  right, 
he  allowed  five  minutes  for  the  difference  in 
clocks  and  watches,  and  after  that  time  did 
not  wait  for  any  person.  If  some  forgetful 
or  lagging  guest  came  after  the  time,  the  pre 
sident  usually  made  some  such  remark  as 
f<  We  are  too  punctual  for  you."  When  Con 


WASHINGTON.  219 

gress  m?t  in  Philadelphia,  he  appointed  the 
hour  of  twelve  for  attending  and  delivering 
his  speeches  to  them,  and  he  always  entered 
the  state-house,  where  Congress  sat,  when 
the  state-house  clock  was  striking  the  hour.* 
The  lesson  on  punctuality,  which  the  great 
Washington  taught  by  his  own  practice, 
should  he  particularly  attended  to  by  the 
young.  Their  hours  should  be  devoted  to 
improvement,  and  dreadful  is  the  waste,  if 
they  are  spent  in  an  improper  manner.  The 
sacred  hours  of  the  sabbath  should  be  ac 
counted  particularly  precious,  and  every  op 
portunity  of  instruction  they  afford  should  be 
attended  to  with  care  and  punctuality. 


CHAPTER    XI. 
1789—1796. 

ALL  the  important  business  attending  the 
commencement  of  the  new  government  was 
conducted  with  wisdom.  When  Congress 
adjourned,  the  president  prepared  to  visit  New 
England;  on  the  15th  October  he  began  his 
journey,  and,  passing  through  Connecticut 
and  Massachusetts,  went  as  far  as  Portsmouth, 
in  New  Hampshire ;  returning  by  a  different 

*  See  further  of  Washington's  domestic  habits,  &c. 
Appendix,  (C 


220  LIFE    OF 

route  to  New  York.  He  had  a  favourable  op 
portunity  for  observing  the  improvements  of 
the  important  portion  of  his  country  through 
which  he  travelled,  and  was  in  every  place 
received  with  proofs  of  joy  and  attachment. 

At  Cambridge,  the  governor  and  council  of 
Massachusetts  met  him,  and  accompanied 'him 
to  Boston  ;  the  selectmen  received  him  at  the 
entrance  of  the  town,  and  a  procession  of  the 
inhabitants  was  formed,  which  extended  to 
the  state-house,  and  he  noticed  witli  satisfac 
tion  the  children,  who  made  a  part  of  the  pro 
cession,  conducted  by  their  teachers.  A  tri 
umphal  arch  was  erected,  and, over  it,  on  one 
side,  was  the  inscription,  "To  the  m;ui  who 
unites  all  hearts  ;"  and  on  the  opposite  side, 
"  To  Columbia's  favourite  son." 

The  president  returned  to  New  York,  and 
Congress  again  met  on  the  8th  January,  1790. 
They  passed  several  acts  of  importance,  and 
then  determined  that  the  seat  of  government 
should  be  removed  to  Philadelphia.  This 
session  of  Congress  continued  until  the  12th 
August,  when  they  adjourned.  The  health  of 
the  president  had  been  injured  by  his  close 
attention  to  public  business,  and  he  thought 
that  a  visit  to  Mount  Vernon  would  refresh  , 
and  strengthen  him.  He  wished  to  travel  as 
privately  as  possible,  but,  when  he  thought 
that  he  \vas  approaching  the  villages  without 
being  noticed,  the  villagers  were  ready  to  give 
him  some  proof  of  a  joyful  welcome;  and 


WASHINGTON.  221 

supposing  the  probable  time  for  his  return, 
the  school  children  were  promised  by  their 
teachers  that  they  should  see  Washington, 
which  they  thought  was  a  high  reward  for  di 
ligence. 

After  a  short  indulgence  in  the  enjoyment 
of  rural  sights  and  sounds,  the  president  re 
turned  from  Mount  Vernon  to  meet  Congress 
at  Philadelphia.  One  important  subject  which 
engaged  Congress  at  that  session,  was  war 
with  the  Indians. 

As  early  as  the  year  1736,  Moravian  mis 
sionaries,  taking  no  weapon  but  "  the  sword 
of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God,"  vi 
sited  the  Indians,  and  carried  to  them  "  the 
glad  tidings  of  great  joy  which  shall  be  to  all 
people."  They  preached  "  Jesus  Christ  and 
him  crucified  ;"  and  many  of  the  wild  rangers 
of  the  forest  listened  to  the  sound  of  the  Gos 
pel,  and,  with  some  of  their  most  ferocious 
chieftains,  submitted  to  its  peaceful  rules.  All 
such  formed  settlements,  cultivated  the  ground 
around  them,  and  made  spots  in  the  wilder 
ness  to  "  blossom  like  the  rose."  One  of 
those  settlements  in  Pennsylvania  was  called 
Nain.  A  young  Nanticoke  Indian  visited  it, 
and  remained  there  for  a  month;  on  being 
taken  ill  afterwards,  he  called  two  of  his  bro 
thers  to  him,  and  said  to  them,  "  in  Nain  they 
teach  the  right  way  to  eternal  life.  There  I 
have  heard  that  our  Creator  became  a  man, 
died  on  the  cross  for  our  sins,  was  buried, 
T2 


222  LIFE    OF 

rose  again,  and  went  into  heaven,  and  that 
whosoever  believes  in  him  shall  not  perish  ; 
but,  when  he  dies,  shall  live  with  him  for 
ever.  If  you  wish  to  hear  these  good  words 
go  to  Nain."  He  died,  praying  with  his  last 
breath  for  pardon,  and  his  brothers  both  went 
to  Nain  to  hear  "  the  good  words"  which  he 
had  received  with  faith  and  joy.  Though  the 
power  of  the  Gospel  was  thus  felt,  and  proved 
by  the  changed  conduct  of  many  of  the  In 
dians,  yet  their  number  was  few  compared 
with  that  of  those  who  still  roamed  through 
the  forests,  and  took  advantage  of  every  op 
portunity  for  attacking  the  inhabitants  of  the 
frontiers.  Washington  being  well  acquainted 
with  the  cruel  manner  m  which  the  Indians 
conducted  their  attacks,  knew  the  sufferings 
to  which  his  countrymen  on  the  frontiers 
were  exposed  ;  and  as  he  was  never  satisfied 
with  merely  feeling  a  sympathy  in  the  dis 
tresses  of  his  fellow-beings,  he  used  every 
means  in  his  power  to  relieve  them.  He  ear 
nestly  recommended  to  Congress  to  endea 
vour  to  form  treaties  with  the  Indians.  He 
was  "for  peace,"  but  the  Indians  were  "for 
war."  Troops  were  sent  out  against  them, 
commanded  by  General  Harmar,  but  these 
troops  were  defeated,  in  a  battle  near  Chili- 
cothe.  Congress  then  gave  the  president  the 
means  of  raising  another  army,  and  General 
Arthur  St.  Clair ,  was  appointed  to  the  com 
mand  of  it. 


WASHINGTON.  223 

After  the  president  had  made  all  the  neces 
sary  arrangements  for  recruiting  the  army,  he 
paid  a  visit  to  the  southern  states,  and  in  pass 
ing  through  them,  received  the  same  proofs 
of  grateful  attachment  as  had  been  given  to 
him  in  the  northern  and  middle  states. 

The  senate  and  congress  had  given  to  him 
the  power  of  choosing  a  spot  on  which  should 
be  built  a  city  for  a  seat  of  government,  and 
he  stopped  at  the  Potomac  for  some  days,  and 
marked  the  place  on  which  the  city  of  Wash 
ington  now  stands.  After  his  return  from  this 
journey,  he  said,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Gouver- 
neur  Morris — "  In  my  late  tour  through  the 
southern  states,  1  experienced  great  satisfac* 
lion  in  seeing  the  good  effects  of  the  general 
government  in  that  part  of  the  Union.  *  *  * 
Industry  has  there  taken  place  of  idleness, 
and  economy  of  dissipation.  Two  or  three 
years  of  good  crops,  and  a  ready  market  for 
the  produce  of  their  lands,  have  put  every  one 
in  good  humour;  and,  in  some  instances,  they 
even  impute  to  the  government  what  is  dm* 
only  to  the  goodness  of  Providence. 

In  the  December  after  his  return,  he  hearr* 
the  distressing  intelligence  of  the  total  defea* 
of  the  army  of  General  St.  Clair,  in  an  en 
gagement  with  the  Indians  on  the  4th  of  De 
cember,  near  the  Miami  river,  in  the  state  of 
Ohio. 

When  Washington  heard  of  the  destruction 
of  the  brave  men  and  officers  who  fell  in  that 


224  LIFE    OF 

battle,  he  went  into  a  private  room  with  one 
of  his  family,  and  indulged  for  a  few  moments 
his  feelings  of  distress.  He  walked  the  floor 
with  his  hand  pressed  to  his  forehead,  and 
said,  "  Here,  in  this  very  room,  the  night  be 
fore  his  departure,  I  warned  St.  Clair  to  be 
ware  of  surprise  !  and  yet  that  brave  army 
surprised  and  cut  to  pieces  !  Butler  and  a 
host  of  others  slain!" 

"Washington's  feelings  were  naturally  violent 
when  excited,  but  quickly  subdued  by  the 
firmness  with  which  he  practised  self-control. 
And  after  a  few  moments,  he  said,  in  a  calm 
voice,  "  St.  Clair  shall  have  justice ;  yes, 
long,  faithful,  and  meritorious  services  shall 
have  their  claims." 

When  the  distressed  St.  Clair,  worn  down 
with  age  and  disease,  returned  and  visited 
him,  he  grasped  the  hand  of  Washington, 
which  was  kindly  extended  to  him,  and  sob 
bed  over  it  like  a  child.  Many  of  the  unde 
served  reproaches  which  were  uttered  against 
him,  were  silenced  by  the  kind  manner  in 
which  Washington  continued  to  treat  him. 

After  Congress  adjourned,  the  president 
made  another  effort  to  form  treaties  of  peace 
with  the  Indians,  but  was  not  successful ;  he 
then  raised  more  troops,  and  the  command 
of  them  was  given  to  General  Wayne,  who 
soon  succeeded  in  reducing  the  savage  foe  to 
a  state  of  submission  and  peace. 

The  rapidly  increasing  prosperity  of  the 


WASHINGTON.  225 

United  States,  was  a  proof  of  the  wisdom  with 
which  the  new  government  had  been  planned, 
and  was  conducted.  The  good  effect  of  Wash 
ington's  wisdom  and  virtue  were  so  apparent, 
that  when  the  four  years  for  which  he  had 
been  elected  were  passed,  the  people  proved 
that  they  knew  the  value  of  his  character,  and 
he  was  unanimously  re-elected.  He  earnestly 
wished  to  return  to  private  life,  and  expressed 
to  his  friends  his  intention  to  do  so  ;  but  they 
convinced  him  that  it  was  his  duty  not  to  in 
dulge  this  wish  ;  the  state  of  public  affairs  at 
that  time,  requiring  all  his  firm  virtue  to  pre 
serve  the  government  from  being  engaged 
in  the  contentions  which  were  commencing 
between  the  nations  of  Europe.  When  he 
met  Congress  after  his  re-election,  his  speech 
on  the  state  of  public  affairs  was  deeply  in 
teresting,  and  contained  this  expression  of 
pious  feelings :  "  I  humbly  implore  that  Being 
on  whose  will  the  fate  of  nations  depends,  to 
crown  with  success  our  mutual  endeavours 
for  the  general  happiness." 

The  French  revolution  had  commenced, 
and  war  was  declared  between  England  and 
France.  Some  Americans  thought  that  their 
overnment  ought  to  aid  France  against  Eng- 
and,  and  the  difference  of  opinion  on  this 
subject  divided  the  people  into  two  parties. 
But  the  president  was  not  to  be  turned  from 
his. determination,  to  "cultivate  peace  with 
all  the  world;"  and  immediately  after  his  re- 


226  LIFE    OF 

election,  he  proclaimed  that  the  American  go 
vernment  would  not  take  any  part  in  the  ge 
neral  war  which  had  commenced.  He  thus 
secured  for  his  country  the  rich  blessing  of 
peace  ;  and  while  war  was  raging  amongst 
other  nations,  the  Americans  increased  their 
trade,  and  sent  large  portions  of  their  full  har 
vests  to  different  parts  of  the  world. 

The  president  was  at  times  so  much  en 
gaged  that  he  could  not  allow  himself  time  to 
lake  any  other  exercise  than  a  walk  to  his 
watch  maker's,  in  Second  Street,  to  regulate 
his  watch  by  the  time-piece.  Mothers  who 
felt  the  value  of  what  he  had  done  for  their 
children,  watched  for  the  hour  in  which  it 
was  usual  for  him  to  pass,  and  then  brought 
out  their  children  to  show  Washington  tc 
them.  When  the  boys  in  the  streets  saw  him 
they  used  to  cry  out,  "  Here  comes  Washing 
ton  !  here  comes  Washington  !"  they  seldom 
called  him  the  president.  Washington  was  a 
far  dearer  name ;  and  he  usually  increased 
their  delight  by  noticing  them  with  a  kind 
smile,  giving  them  his  hand,  or  taking  the  lit 
tle  children  up  in  his  arms.*  When  he  could 
be  absent  from  the  city  for  a  few  hours  with 
out  neglecting  a  duty,  he  enjoyed  a  visit  to 
Judge  Peters,  at  his  home  on  the  Schuylkill 
a  few  miles  distant  from  Philadelphia.  In 
the  cultivated  ground  there,  he  planted  a  nut, 
which  has  grown  into  a  thriving  chestnut  tree, 
and  is  cherished  with  great  care.  He  was 
*  See  appendix  (D). 


WASHINGTON.  227 

fond  of  riding  on  horseback,  and  one  day  in 
the  winter,  when  the  river  Delaware  was  fro 
zen,  so  that  loaded  sleds  passed  over  it;  he 
crossed  into  Jersey  to  enjoy  a  ride  in  the 
leafless  woods.  On  his  return,  he  found  at 
Cooper's  ferry  a  farmer  with  a  sled  load  of 
wood,  just  going  on  the  ice.  The  president 
stopped  his  horse,  to  let  the  farmer  pass  on 
before  him.  But  the  farmer,  who  knew 
Washington,  stopped  also,  and  stepping  up  to 
him,  said  respectfully — "  Sir,  do  you  think  it 
is  right  for  you  to  run  the  risk  of  riding  across 
the  river  on  the  ice  ?"  "  Why,  my  friend," 
said  the  president,  "I  think  if  you  can  pass  over 
with  your  sled  load  of  wood  without  breaking 
through,!  have  no  reason  to  be  afraid."  "Ah," 
replied  the  farmer,  "  if  I  and  a  dozen  like  me, 
should  fall  through  and  be  drowned,  we  should 
hardly  be  missed  ;  but  the  country  cannot  do 
without  you,  Sir."  "  Well,  go  on  first  then," 
said  Washington,  "  and  I  think  if  the  ice  does 
not  break  with  your  load  and  horses,  I  can 
then  pass  it  without  danger."  The  farmer 
moved  on  without  delay,  being,  no  doubt, 
well  pleased  to  serve  Washington  as  a  guide, 
and  to  watch  for  the  preservation  of  a  life  he 
valued  so  highly. 

In  1794,  the  second  year  after  Washing 
ton's  election,  he  had  occasion  to  exercise  his 
firmness  in  quelling  an  insurrection  excited 
in  the  western  parts  of  Pennsylvania  by  some 
yflnprincipled  idlers.  Americans  had  resisted 


228  LIFE    OF 

with  bravery  and  success,  a  foreign  foe,  but 
they  had,  and  it  is  a  sad  truth,  still  have,  an 
enemy  in  their  homes,  to  which  too  many 
willingly  submit,  though  by  doing  so  they 
yield  their  rio'ht  to  the  name  of  freemen  ;  for 
strong  drink  is  a  tyrant  which  chains  the 
body  in  disgrace  and  poverty.  It  weakens 
the  mind,  and  either  destroys  all  recollection 
of  the  laws  of  God,  or  else  causes  a  total  dis 
regard  of  them,  and  prepares  the  soul  for 
everlasting  punishment.  Young  Americans, 
this  powerful  foe  is  on  every  side  of  you, 
tempting  you  to  become  its  slaves.  Beware  ! 
touch  not,  taste  not  strong  drink,  and  when 
you  see  in  others  the  evil  effects  of  indulging 
in  a  love  of  it,  let  the  bad  example  cause  you 
sorrow,  and  prove  a  warning  to  you  to  begin 
•n  youth  a  firm  resistance  to  such  an  enemy. 
It  was  this  foe  to  good  order  and  morality,  that 
caused  the  insurrection  which  has  been  men 
tioned.  Congress  had  laid  a  tax  on  spirits 
distilled  within  the  United  States,  and  some 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  western  part  of  Penn 
sylvania,  not  only  refused  to  pay  the  tax,  but 
treated  with  violence  these  who  were  appointed 
to  collect  it.  The  disgraceful  example  was 
followed  by  so  many,  that  it  became  neces 
sary  for  the  president  to  notice  it.  He  en 
deavoured  to  make  the  rioters  submit  quietly 
to  the  laws,  but  when  he  found  that  they 
would  not  do  so,  he  determined  on  sending 
against  them  a  force  which  would  be  too  po\v- 


WASHINGTON.  229 

erful  for  them  to  resist.  By  doing  this  he 
hoped  to  prevent  any  blood  being  shed.  Troops 
were  directed  to  assemble  at  Bedford,  in 
Pennsylvania ;  and  at  Cumberland,  on  the 
Potomac.  Governor  Lee,  of  Virginia,  was 
appointed  to  command  the  expedition,  and  as 
the  president  had  expected,  the  greatness  of 
the  force  subdued,  without  shedding  blood, 
the  perverse  spirit  which  had  been  raging. 

During  this  season,  the  cares  of  Washington 
were  greater,  perhaps,  than  at  any  other  period 
of  his  administration.  The  British  government 
had  not  given  up  their  posts  on  the  south  side 
of  the  lakes,  which  they  had  agreed  to  do  in 
the  treaty  of  peace  ;  and  the  American  govern 
ment  had  violated  the  treaty,  by  passing  some 
laws,  which  had  prevented  English  subjects 
from  recovering  debts  due  to  them  in  this 
country, 

Washington  was  just,  and  would  not  yield 
to  the  clamour  which  was  raised  against  the 
English.  He  was  of  opinion,  that  "  peace 
ought  to  be  pursued  with  unremitted  zeal," 
while  every  necessary  preparation  should  be 
made  for  the  preservation  of  national  rights, 
in  case  war  could  not  be  avoided.  In  writing 
to  a  friend,  after  relating  the  various  difficul 
ties  he  had  to  contend  with,  he  said, — "  There 
is  but  one  straight  course,  and  that  is,  to  seek 
the  truth  and  pursue  it  steadily." 

He  appointed  an  ambassador  to  the  English 
government,  for  the  purpose  of  endeavouring 
U 


230  LIFE    OF 

to  form  a  treaty.  This  ambassador  was  John 
Jay,  who'  succeeded  iri  forming  a  treaty,  by 
which  the  English  surrendered  the  posts  or 
the  south  side  of  the  lakes,  and  this  enabled 
the  president  to  protect  the  inhabitants  of  the 
frontiers  from  the  Indians,  and  to  promote 
the  improvement  and  comfort  of  the  Indians, 
for  whom  he  was  always  interested.  In 
recommending  this  subject  to  the  attention 
of  Congress,  he  said,  that  "  As  Americans 
were  more  powerful  and  enlightened  than  the 
Indians,  they  ought  to  treat  them  with  kind 
ness  and  liberality." 

While  Washington  was  pursuing  that  course 
of  conduct  towards  the  English  government, 
which  he  knew  would  promote  the  interests 
of  his  country,  he  was  severely  tried  by  the 
party  spirit  which  was  growing  strong  in  the 
minds  of  his  countrymen,  and  which  encou 
raged  the  French  minister  to  behave  in  a  very 
insolent  manner  towards  the  government 
That  minister,  Mr.  Genet,  had  arrived  in 
Charleston  in  the  year  1793,  and  he  under 
took  to  authorize  the  fitting  out  of  armed  ves 
sels  there,  to  capture  the  vessels  of  nations 
with  whom  the  United  States  were  at  peace. 
.An  English  merchant  ship  was  also  captured 
by  a  French  privateer,  within  the  capes  of  the 
Delaware,  on  her  way  from  Philadelphia  to 
the  ocean. 

.The  British  minister  complained  of  this, 
,and   also  of  the  conduct  of  Genet ;  and  the 


WASHINGTON,  231 

council  of  the  president  unanimously  agreed 
that  restitution  should  be  made  for  the  capture 
of  the  English  ship,  and  that  Genet  should 
not  be  permitted  to  act  again,  as  he  had  done 
at  Charleston.  This  displeased  him  greatly. 
He  had  engaged  two  Americans  to  cruise  from 
that  port ;  they  were  arrested,  and  he  demand 
ed  their  release  ;  not  only  of  the  magistrate, 
but  of  the  president,  in  a  very  insolent  letter  ; 
and,  calculating  on  the  support  of  the  party  in 
favour  of  France,  he  insulted  the  government, 
by  appealing  to  the  people  against  their  presi 
dent. 

Washington  directed  Mr.  Morris,  the  Ame 
rican  minister,  who  was  in  France,  to  repre 
sent  the  conduct  of  Genet  to  his  government, 
and  request  that  he  should  be  recalled.  The 
request  was  complied  with;  but  the  party 
feelings  which  had  been  excited,  continued  to 
increase,  and  caused  Washington's  path  to  be 
a  thorny  one.  But,  difficult  as  it  was,  he  pur 
sued  steadily  the  great  end  which  he  had  al 
ways  in  view,  "  the  best  interests  of  his  coun- 

ry-" 

While  he  was  deeply  engaged  in  public  bu 
siness,  he  heard  intelligence  which  pained  his 
heart.  It  was,  that  Lafayette  had  been  driven 
from  his  native  land,  by  the  unprincipled  men 
who  were  conducting  the  revolution  there  • 
and  that  he  had  been  seized  in  Prussia,  and 
sent  to  Austria  ;  the  emperor  of  which  coun 
try  directed  that  he  should  be  confined  in  a 


232  LIFE    OF 

dungeon,  in  the  town  of  Olmutz.  Washing 
ton  could  not  interfere  for  his  release,  except 
in  the  private  character  of  his  friend ;  and  he 
used  every  means  in  his  power  to  obtain  it, 
and  wrote  a  letter  to  the  emperor  of  Austria, 
requesting  him  to  permit  Lafayette  to  come  to 
% America,  hut  his  request  was  not  granted. 

A  young  German,  named  Bolman,  and  a 
young  American,  named  Huger,  formed  a 
plan  for  effecting  the  escape  of  Lafayette.  He 
was  sometimes  permitted  to  leave  his  dim 
geon,  and  walk  for  a  short  distance  with  a 
guard.  One  day  Bolman  and  Huger  watched 
for  him,  and  had  a  horse  ready,  which  Huger 
led  suddenly  up  to  him,  and  desired  him  to 
mount  and  escape  ;  the  horse  took  fright  and 
ran  off,  Bolman  followed  to  endeavour  to  catch 
it,  and  Huger  then  insisted  that  Lafayette 
should  mount  his  horse ;  he  did  so,  and  was 
soon  out  of  sight.  Bolman  could  not  overtake 
the  affrighted  horse,  and  he  returned  and  took 
Huger  behind  him,  and  they  followed  Lafay 
ette. 

The  guard  gave  the  alarm,  and  they  were 
quickly  pursued  ;  Huger  was  seized,  but  Bol 
man  at  that  time  escaped.  Lafayette  was 

1,  and  brought  back  to  Olmutz. 
Ihained,  hand  and  foot,  Huger  wras  carried 
before  a  judge,  who  told  him  that  it  was  pro 
bable  his  life  would  be  the  forfeit  of  his  at 
tempt  to  assist  Lafayette  to  escape  ;  but  that 
possibly  the  emperor  would  treat  him  with 


stopped, 
Chair 


WASHINGTON.  233 

clemency,  on  account  of  his  youth  and  mo 
tives.  "  Clemency!"  said  Huger,  "how  can 
1  expect  it  from  a  man  who  did  not  act  even 
with  justice  to  Lafayette  ?"  The  judge  said 
to  him,  "If  ever  I  need  a  friend,  I  hope  that 
friend  maybe  an  American."  Huger  suffered 
from  a  close  imprisonment  for  some  time,  and 
was  then  allowed  to  return  to  his  own  coun 
try. 

The  efforts  of  Washington  for  the  release 
of  his  friend,  did  not  cease,  and  perhaps  the 
tetter  which  he  wrote  to  the  emperor  had  the 
effect  of  lessening  the  severity  with  which 
Lafayette  had  been  treated,  and  of  shortening 
the  period  of  his  caplivitv.  His  son,  named 
George  Washington,  made  his  escape  from 
France,  and  arrived  at  Boston.  The  president 
advised  him  to  enter  the  University  at  Cam 
bridge,  and  assured  him  that  he  would  stand 
in  the  place  of  a  father  to  him,  and  become 
his  friend,  protector,  and  supporter. 

When  the  time  came  for  a  third  election  of 
president,  the  people  were  again  ready  to 
unite  in  voting  for  Washington.  But  he  firmly 
refused  to  be  re-elected.  He  assured  his  coun 
trymen  that  he  did  not  do  so  from  any  want 
of  respect  for  their  past  kindness,  or  from 
feeling  less  anxious  for  their  future  prosperi 
ty  ; — that  he  had  twice  yielded  to  their  wishes, 
because  he  thought  that  it  was  his  duty  to  do 
so,  but  felt  that  then  the  happy  state  of  their 
concerns  would  permit  his  retiring  to  enjoy 
u2 


234  LIFE    OF 

the  quiet  of  his  own  home.  As  his  determina 
tion  was  firm,  they  did  not  persist  in  opposing 
it,  and  he  prepared  to  take  again  the  character 
of  a  private  citizen. 

In  concluding  his  last  speech  to  Congress, 
(for  Washington  made  his  annual  communica 
tions  to  Congress  in  a  speech,  instead  of  send 
ing  a  written  message,  as  his  successors  have 
done,)  he  said,  "  I  cannot  omit  the  occasion 
to  repeat  my  fervent  supplications  to  the  Su 
preme  Ruler  of  the  universe  and  sovereign  ar 
biter  of  nations,  that  his  providential  care  may 
still  be  extended  to  the  United  States ;  that 
the  virtue  and  happiness  of  the  people  may 
be  preserved,  and  that  the  government,  which 
they  have  instituted  for  the  protection  of  their 
liberties,  may  be  perpetual." 

He  also  published  a  farewell  address  to  the 
people  of  the  United  States,  which  contains 
•the  most  instructive,  important,  and  interest 
ing  advice,  that  was  ever  given  by  man  to  any 
nation.  It  is  long,  and  has  been  often  pub 
lished,  and  splendidly  engraved,  and  all  young 
Americans  should  read  it  with  attention,  and 
make  a  firm  determination  that  they  will  en 
deavour  to  follow  the  important  and  affec 
tionate  counsel,  which  the  wise  and  virtuous 
Washington  has  left  them  as  a  legacy.  He 
toiled  through  years  of  anxious  cares  to  pro- 
•mote  the  happiness  of  his  countrymen,  and 
knowing  that  "  sin  is  a  disgrace  to  any  peo 
ple,"  but  that  "  righteousness  exalteih  a  n-i 


WASHINGTON.  235 

tion,"  he  earnestly  entreated  them  to  consider 
religion  as  the  only  lasting  support  of  national 
prosperity. 

When  the  Americans  were  convinced  that 
Washington  would  retire  from  office,  they 
elected  John  Adams,  who  was  one  of  the 
signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
and  who  had  served  as  vice-president  during 
the  whole  term  of  Washington's  presidency. 
Washington  remained  to  offer  his  good  wishes 
as  a  private  citizen  to  the  new  president,  and 
then  immediately  journeyed  towards  his  home, 
which  ho  was  anxious  to  reach  ;  and,  in  a 
letter  to  a  friend,  he  said,  "  To  the  wearied 
traveller,  who  sees  a  resting  place,  and  is 
bending  his  body  to  lean  thereon,  I  now  com 
pare  myself." 

Washington  was  ever  ready  to  acknowledge 
the  particular  providence,  and  to  adore  the 
glorious  character,  of  the  Creator  of  heaven 
and  of  earth;  and  therefore,  when  he  rejoiced 
in  the  prosperity  of  his  loved  countrv,  his 
heart  could  feel  and  offer  the  ascription. 
"  Unto  thee,  O  Lord,  be  all  the  glory  and  th 
praise." 


CHAPTER    XII 

1796—1799. 

THE  rest  for  which  Washington  had  longed, 
<vas  not  idleness  ;  and,  when  he  had  examined 


236  LIFE,  OF 

every  part  of  his  large  farm,  which  had  been 
in  some  degree  neglected  during-  his  absence, 
he  immediately  commenced  the  employment 
of  improving  it. 

His  faithful  mother,  in  forming  his  first  ha 
bits,  had  not  neglected  that  of  early  rising ; 
and  through  the  whole  of  his  useful  life  tha 
habit  was  continued  ;  in  winter,  he  rose  usu 
ally  two  hours  before  day  ;  and  in  summer 
was  ready  to  enjoy  the  healthful  freshness 
and  beauty  of  the  dawn. 

The  habit  of  early  rising,  in  connexion  with 
the  exemplary  one  of  strict  attention  to  order 
in  all  his  employments,  gave  Washington 
"time  for  all  things,"  so  that  even  when  he 
had  numerous  and  arduous  public  duties  to  at 
tend  to,  he  did  not  neglect  any  private  one, 
but  performed  with  ease  himself,  what  would 
seem  to  be  employment  for  many.  He  was 
remarkably  neat  in  his  person,  but  used  a 
very  short  portion  of  time  for  attention  to  his 
dress. 

After  his  return  to  his  farm,  he  visited  his 
stables  every  day,  to  be  certain  that  his  horses 
were  well  taken  care  of.  The  one  on  which 
he  rode  when  he  was  directing  the  siege  of 
Yorktown,  he  did  not  use  again  ;  it  was  al 
lowed  to  graze  on  the  best  pasture  in  sum 
mer,  and  was  carefully  stabled  in  winter,  and 
died  of  old  age,  several  years  after  the  close 
of  the  war. 

Washington    was    employed    for    several 


WASHINGTON.  237 

hours,  each  day,  in  visiting  all  parts  of  his 
large  farm.  He  went  alone,  opening  and 
shutting  the  gates,  and  pulling  down  and  put 
ting  up  the  bars  as  he  passed. 

One  day,  Colonel  Meade,  a  valued  friend 
of  Washington,  was  met  by  ^Vlr.  Custis,  a  re 
lation  of  Mrs.  Washington ;  Colonel  Meade 
inquired  if  he  should  find  the  General  at  the 
house,  or  if  he  was  out  on  the  farm.  Mr. 
Custis,  not  knowing  Colonel  Meade,  replied, 
that  the  General  was  out ;  and,  giving  direc 
tions  as  to  the  part  of  the  farm  on  which  he 
would  probably  be  found,  added,  "  You  will 
meet,  sir,  with  an  old  gentleman,  riding 
alone,  in  plain  drab  clothes,  a  broad  brimmed 
white  hat,  a  hickory  switch  in  his  hand, 
and  carrying  an  umbrella,  with  a  long  staff, 
which  is  attached  to  his  saddle-boit\ — that, 
sir,  is  General  Washington  /"  The  old 
friend  of  Washington  replied,  "  Thank  you, 
thank  you,  young  gentleman ;  I  think,  if  I  fall  in 
with  the  General,  I  shall  be  apt  to  know  him." 

This  description  of  Washington  gives  us 
some  knowledge  of  how  he  looked  on  his 
farm.  So  many  pictures  of  him,  in  different 
situations,  have  been  drawn, — and  young 
Americans  have  so  often  seen  him  represented 
on  sign-posts  in  every  part  of  the  land,  that 
they  think  they  know  exactly  how  he  looked  ; 
but  unless  they  had  seen  him,  instead  of  pic 
tures  of  him,  they  can  have  no  correct  idea  of 
his  noble  appearance. 


238  LIFE    OF 

In  his  youth  he  was  remarkable  for  the 
straightness  and  manliness  of  his  form,  which 
was  si^  feet  and  two  inches  high.  The  ex 
pression  of  his  countenance  was  serious,  but 
very  pleasing;  his  eyes  were  a  mild  blue,  and 
the  Hush  of  health  gave  a  glow  to  his  cheeks. 
His  step  was  always  firm;  but  after  the  toils 
of  the  long  war,  his  body  was  a  little  bent  as 
he  walked,  and  his  once  smooth  forehead  and 
cheeks  were  wrinkled. 

The  picture  we  have  used  as  a  frontispiece, 
represents  his  features  in  accordance  with  the 
popular  impression.  But  there  is  reason  to 
believe  that  this  impression  does  great  injus 
tice  to  the  original.  This  is  the  opinion  of 
many  who  most  distinctly  remember  him. 

The  river  Potomac  which  flows  by  Mount 
Vernon,  mingles  with  the  Shenandoah  river, 
at  Harper's  Ferry,  and  presents  a  scene  wild 
and  grand.  There,  the  Shenandoah,  after 
ranging  from  the  south  a  hundred  miles  along 
the  foot  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  flows  into  the 
Potomac,  and  the  united  streams  roll  calmly 
on  towards  the  ocean,  with  the  name  of  Po 
tomac,  and  give  variety  to  the  landscape  of  a 
level  country,  which  is  seen  like  a  distant 
picture,  through  the  opening  in  the  Blue 
Ridge. 

At  a  great  height,  the  surface  of  the  wall  of 
rock  is  broken  in  the  form  of  a  human  head,  and 
the  profile  can  be  plainly  traced.  Travellers, 
who  stop  to  gaze  at  the  grand  scenery  around, 


WASHINGTON.  239 

are  told  that  this  profile   on  the  rock   resem 
bles  that  of  Washington  ;  and  Americans  who 
look  at  it,  can  readily  and  fondly  think,  that 
they  see  a  likeness  of  him,  where  the  hand 
of  man  can  never  reach  to  deface  it. 

At  Harper's  Ferry  are  extensive  public 
works,  for  making  military  arms.  If  his 
countrymen  regard  and  follow  the  important 
farewell  counsel  of  Washington,  to  "  Observe 
good  faith  and  justice  towards  all  nations, 
and  to  cultivate  peace  and  harmony  with  all" 
these  arms  will  not  be  used,  except  as  weapons 
of  defence  ;  and  then  not  until  "  the  cup  of 
reconciliation  is  exhausted  to  the  last  drop." 

A  weekly  school  is  kept  at  Harper's  Ferry, 
for  the  children  of  the  workmen,  and  they 
nave  the  blessing  of  Sunday-school  instruc 
tion. 

Had  Washington  lived  to  the  time  when 
there  are  Sunday-schools  in  almost  every  por 
tion  of  his  native  land,  no  doubt  he  would 
have  rejoiced  to  see  the  children  taught'  to 
know  their  Creator  as  he  has  revealed  him 
self  in  his  word, — to  fear,  obey,  and  love  him, 
— and  thus  secure  the  blessing  of  "  the  faith- 
tif  God,  who  keepeth  covenant  and  merc;y 
with  them  that  love  him  and  keep  his  com 
mandments,  to  a  thousand  generations." 

Washington  said,  "  Of  all  the  dispositions 
and  habits  which  lead  to  political  prosperity, 
religion  and  'morality  are  indispensable  sup 
ports."  Certainly,  then,  he  would  have  ap- 


240  LIFE    OF 

proved  of  children  being1  taught  the  pnre  pre 
cepts  of  the  gospel,  and  trained  to  restrain 
those  natural  dispositions,  which,  if  indulged, 
would  make  them  in  manhood,  useless  or 
vicious  members  of  the  community.  He  also 
said,  that  "  without  an  humble  imitation  of  the 
example  of  the  divine  Author  of  our  blessed 
religion,  we  cannot  hope  to  be  a  happy  na 
tion."  And  as  Washington  always  acted  as 
if  he  believed  what  he  expressed,  he  would 
have  encouraged  the  effort  to  place  in  every 
family  of  his  country  the  Bible,  which  teaches 
what  that  Divine  example  was,  and  how  to 
obtain  that  "  new  heart,"  and  "  right  spirit," 
which  delights  in  following  it.  The  active 
interest  in  behalf  of  Sunday-schools,  displayed 
by  that  revered  man,  who  bore  the  name 
and  succeeded  to  the  estate  of  Washington, 
favours  such  a  presumption.  He  who  fol 
lowed  so  closely  the  habits  of  his  honoured 
relative,  and  who  maintained  his  principles, 
so  rigidly,  was,  to  the  day  of  his  death,  an 
ardent  friend  to  this  system  of  universal  edu 
cation.  He  considered,  to  use  his  own  lan 
guage,  a  society  constituted  for  the  promotion 
of  this  great  object,  as  entitled  to  be  "  called 
the  Charitable  Society,  as  it  diffused  most  per 
manently,  the  greatest  amount  of  good." 

The  wants  of  the  poor  were  not  neglected 
by  Washington.  He  contributed  liberally  to 
the  support  of  schools  for  the  children  of  the 


WASHINGTON.  241 

indigent  ;  and  the  sick  and  aged  could  bear 
Testimony  to  me  benevolence  of  his  heart. 

On  nis  farm  he  had  a  comfoi  table  house 
Duilt  for  an  old  English  soldier,  who  had 
been  an  attendant  of  General  Rraddock,  at 
the  time  of  his  defeat;  after  his  death,  he  en 
tered  into  the  service  of  Washington,  and  LOII- 
tinued  in  it  until  the  close  of  the  provincial 
war :  he  then  married,  and  a  home  was  pro 
vided  for  him  at  Mount  Vernon.  He  was  to«? 
old  to  follow  his  beloved  commander  in  the 
struggle  for  independence,  and  was  left  at 
home  to  enjoy  the  comforts  which  old  age  re 
quires.  Children  loved  to  visit  the  old  soi- 
dier,  and  listen  to  his  tales  of  the  Indian  wai, 
which  he  delighted  in  telling.  When  Washing 
ton  was  passing  round  his  farm,  he  often  stop 
ped  to  gladden  the  heart  of  the  gray-headed  ve 
teran  with  kind  words;  and  he  lived  to  enjoy 
the  comforts  which  had  been  provided  for  him 
until  he  was  eighty  years  of  age. 

The  days  of  Washington  were  spent  in  ust- 
ful  employments,  and  his  evenings  in  the  en 
joyment  of  domestic  happiness.  It  was 
then  his  custom  to  read  to  his  family  such 
new  publications  as  interested  him,  and  on  Sun 
day  evenings  the  Bible  and  a  sermon.  Some- 
times  he  would  sit,  as  if  he  forgot  that  he  was 
not  alone,  and  raising  his  hand,  would  move 
his  lips  silently,  as  if  engaged  in  prayer.  In 
town  or  country,  he  was  a  constant  attendant 
upon  public  worship,  and  by  his  devout  de 
X 


242  LIFE    OF 

portment  there,  proved  that  he  went  there  foi 
the  purpose  of  worshipping  God.  He  always 
acknowledged  by  his  example,  that  he  felt  his 
solemn  obligation  to  keep  holy  the  Sabbath 
day  ;  and  to  influence  others  to  do  so  as  far  as 
was  within  his  power. 

His  nephew,  Bushrod  Washington,  was 
elected  in  the  year  1826,  a  vice-president  of 
the  American  Sunday  School  Union.  He  re 
sided  at  Mount  Vernon,  which  was  left  to 
him  by  his  illustrious  uncle.  In  a  part  of 
his  answer  to  the  letter  which  informed  him 
of  his  election,  he  wrote  thus :  "  I  beg 
leave  now  to  express  the  grateful  sense  I 
have  of  the  honour  conferred  upon  me,  by 
the  American  Sunday  School  Union,  in  elect 
ing  me  one  of  the  vice-presidents  of  that 
institution,  and  of  the  approbation  bestowed 
by  the  Board  of  Managers  upon  the  well  in 
tended  efforts  which  I  have  made  to  secure 
the  due  observance  of  the  sabbath  day,  upon  a 
spot,  where  I  am  persuaded,  it  was  never  vio 
lated,  during  the  life,  and  with  the  permission 
of  its  former  venerable  and  truly  Christian 
owner." 

General  Washington  said,  that  "  both  rea 
son  and  experience  forbid  us  to  e'xpect  that 
morality  can  prevail  to  the  exclusion  of  reli 
gious  principle;1'  and  this  sentiment  is  well 
supported  by  Chief-Justice  Hale  of  England, 
who  said,  "  that  "of  all  the  persons  who 
were  convicted  of  capital  crimes,  while  he 


WASHINGTON.  243 

was  upon  the  bench,  he  found  a  few  only, 
who  would  not  confess,  on  inquiry,  that  they 
began  their  career  of  wickedness  by  a  neglect 
of  the  duties  of  the  Sabbath,  and  a  vicious 
conduct  on  that  day"  And  no  doubt,  the 
prisons  of  our  own  counfry  could  produce  a 
host  of  witnesses  to  testify  the  same.  Then 
the  example  of  Washington  in  remembering 
"  the  sabbath  day,  to  keep  it  holy,"  was  that 
of  a  patriot  as  well  as  a  Christian. 

The  peaceful  life  of  Washington  on  his 
farm  was  again  disturbed  by  a  call  from  his 
countrymen  to  become  their  leader  in  the  de 
fence  of  their  national  rights.  The  French 
republic  had  refused  to  receive  General  Pinck- 
ney,  a  highly  respected  American,  whom 
Washington  had  sent  to  France  as  minister  in 
xne  year  1796.  He  was  ordered  to  quit  the 
erritories  of  France,  and  at  the  same  time 
•Lat  the  French  republic  expressed  great  at 
tachment  to  the  people  of  the  United  States 
they  abused  the  government,  and  thus  showed 
an  intention  to  endeavour  to  separate  the  peo 
ple  from  their  government.  They  also  cap 
tured  American  vessels  wherever  they  were 
found.  The  government  of  the  United  States 
appointed  three  envoys,  one  of  whom  was 
C4eneral  Pinckney,  to  endeavour  to  preserve 
peace  "  on  terms  compatible  with  the  rights 
duties,  interests,  and  honour  of  the  nation." 

In  the  spring  of  1798,  they  informed   their 
government  that  they  had  entirely  failed,  and 


244  LIFE  or 

were  treated  in  a  very  insulting  manner.  Two 
of  them  were  ordered  to  quit  France,  one  was 
permitted  to  remain. 

Congress  determined  on  raising  an  army, 
and  though  they  regretted  to  deprive  the  vene 
rable  Washington  of  that  rest  which  he  had 
earned  by  his  past  services,  they  complied  with 
the  wishes  of  his  countrymen,  and  request 
ed  him  to  accept  the  command  of  the  army. 
He  did  so,  but  continued  to  employ  himself  on 
his  farm,  being  ready  at  any  moment  to  obey  a 
call  to  the  duties  of  his  appointment.  But  his 
Creator  was  soon  about  to  call  him  from  all 
earthly  duties.  We  have  now  to  proceed  to 
the  melancholy  task  of  giving  an  account  of 
the  last  sickness  and  the  death  of  the  Father 
of  his  Country.  And  this  cannot  be  done 
better  than  in  the  words  of  Tobias  Lear,  one 
of  hi;s  attendants,  who  drew  up  the  following 
statement,  on  the  day  after  the  General's 
death.  We  have  no  fear,  that  any  of  our  rea 
ders  will  think  the  details  too  particular : 

"  On  Thursday,  December  12,  the  General 
rode  out  to  his  farm  at  about  ten  o'clock,  and 
did  not  return  home  till  past  three.  Soon  af 
ter  he  went  out,  the  weather  became  very 
bad  ;  rain,  hail,  and  snow  falling  alternately, 
with  a  cold  wind.  When  he  came  in,  I  car 
ried  some  letters  to  him  to  frank,  intending  to 
send  them  to  the  post-office.  He  franked  the 
letters,  but  said  the  weather  was  too  bad  to 
send  a  servant  to  the  office  that  evening  i 


WASHINGTON.  245 

observed  to  him  that  I  was  afraid  he  had  got 
wet ;  he  said  no — his  great  coat  had  kept  him 
dry;  but  his  neck  appeared  to  be  wet — the 
snow/ was  hanging  to  his  hair. 

"  He  came  to  dinner  without  changing  his 
dress.  In  the  evening  he  appeared  as  well  as 
usual.  A  heavy  fall  of  snow  took  place  on 
Friday,  which  prevented  the  General  from 
riding  out  as  usual.  He  had  taken  cold,  (un 
doubtedly  from  being  so  much  exposed  the 
day  before,)  and  complained  of  having  a  sore 
throat ;  he  had  a  hoarseness,  which  increased 
in  the  evening,  but  he  made  light  of  it,  as  he 
would  never  take  any  thing  to  carry  off  a 
cold, — always  observing,  "let  it  go  as  it 
came."  In  the  evening,  the  papers  having 
come  from  the  post  oilice,  he  sat  in  the  room, 
with  Mrs.  Washington  and  myself,  reading 
them,  till  about  nine  o'clock  ;  and,  when  he 
met  with  any  thing  which  he  thought  divert 
ing  or  interesting,  he  would  read  it  aloud.  He 
desired  me  to  read  to  him  the  debates  of  the 
Virginia  Assembly,  on  the  election  of  a  senator 
and  governor,  which  I  did.  On  his  retiring 
to  bed,  he  appeared  to  be  in  perfect  health, 
except  the  cold,  which  he  considered  as  tri 
fling — he  had  been  remarkably  cheerful  al 
the  evening. 

"  About  two  or  three  o'clock  on  Saturday 
morning,  he  awoke  Mrs.  Washington,  and  in 
formed  her  he  was  very  unwell,  and  had  an 
ague.  She  observed  that  he  could  scarcely 


246  LIFE    OF 

speak,  and  breathed  with  difficulty,  and  she 
wished  to  get  up  and  call  a  servant ;  but  the 
General  would  not  permit  her,  lest  she  should 
take  cold.  As  soon  as  the  day  appeared,  the 
woman  Caroline  went  into  the  room  to  make 
a  fire,  and  the  girl  desired  that  Mr.  Rawlins, 
one  of  the  overseers,  who  was  used  to  bleed 
ing  the  people,  might  be  sent  for  to  bleed  him 
before  the  Doctor  could  arrive.  I  was  sent 
for — went  to  the  General's  chamber,  where 
Mrs.  Washington  was  up,  and  related  to  me  his 
being  taken  ill  between  two  and  three  o'clock, 
as  before  stated.  I  found  him  breathing 
with  difficulty,  and  hardly  able  to  utter  a  word 
intelligibly.  I  went  out  instantly,  and  wrote 
a  line  to  Dr.  Plask,  and  sent  it  with  all  speed. 
Immediately  I  returned  to  the  General's  cham 
ber,  where  I  found  him  in  the  same  situation 
I  had  left  him.  A  mixture  of  molasses,  vine 
gar,  and  butter,  was  prepared,  but  lie  could 
not  swallow  a  drop;  whenever  he  attempted  it 
he  was  distressed,  convulsed,  and  almost  suf 
focated. 

"  Mr.  Rawlins  came  in  soon  after  sunrise, 
and  prepared  to  bleed  him  ;  when  the  arm 
was  ready  the  General  observing  Rawlins  ap 
peared  agitated,  said,  with  difficulty,  "  don't 
be  afraid  ;"  and,  after  the  incision  was  made, 
lie  observed  the  orifice  was  not  large  enough — 
however  the  blood  ran  pretty  freely.  Mrs. 
Washington,  not  knowing  whether  bleeding 
was  proper  in  the  General's  situation,  begged 


WASHINGTON.  247 

that  much  blood  might,  not  be  taken  from  him, 
and  desired  me  to  stop  it.  When  I  was  abou 
to  untie  the  string,  the  General  put  up  iiis 
hand  to  prevent  it,  and,  so  soon  as  he  couid 
speak,  said  "  more." 

"  Mrs.  Washington  being  still  uneasy  lest  too 
much  blood  should  be  taken,  it  was  stopped, 
after  about  half  a  pint  had  been  taken.  Find 
ing  that  no  relief  could  be  obtained  from  bleed 
ing,  and  that  nothing  could  be  swallowed,  I 
proposed  bathing  the  throat  externally  with 
sal  volatile,  which  was  done  ;  a  piece  of  ilan- 
nel  was  then  put  around  his  ne'ck.  His  feet 
were  also  soaked  in  warm  water,  but  it  gave  no 
relief.  By  Mrs.  Washington's  request,  I  de 
spatched  a  messenger  for  Dr.  Brown,  at  Port 
Tobacco.  About  9  o'clock  l3r.  Craik  arrived, 
and  put  a  blister  of  flies  on  the  throat  of 
the  General,  and  took  more  blood,  and  had 
some  vinegar  and  hot  water  set  in  a  teapot 
for  him  to  draw  in  the  steam  from  the  spout. 

"  He  also  had  sage  tea  and  vinegar  mixed 
and  used  as  a  gargle,  but,  when  he  held  back 
his  head  to  let  it  run  down,  it  almost  produced 
suffocation.  When  the  mixture  came  out  of 
his  mouth  some  phlegm  followed  it.  and  he 
would  attempt  to  cough,  which  the  Doctor 
encouraged,  but  without  effect.  About  eleven 
I'clock  Dr.  Dick  was  sent  for.  Dr.  Craik 
fried  the  General  again,  but  no  effect  was  pro 
duced,  and  he  continued  in  the  same  state, 
unable  to  swallow  any  thing.  Dr.  Dick  r-ime 


248  LIFE    OF 

m  about  three  o'clock,  and  Dr.  Brown  arrived 
BOOH  after;  when,  after  consultation,  the  Ge 
neral  was  bled  again,  the  blood  ran  slowly, 
appeared  very  thick,  and  did  not  produce  any 
symptoms  of  fainting.  At  four  o'clock  tne 
General  could  swallow  a  little.  Calomel  and 
tartar  emetic  were  administered  without  effect 
About  half  past  four  o'clock  he  desired  me  to 
ask  Mrs.  Washington  to  come  to  his  bedside, 
when  he  desired  her  to  go  down  to  his  room 
and  take  from  his  desk  two  wills  which  she 
would  find  there,  and  bring  them  to  him, 
which  she  did ;  upon  looking  at  one,  which 
he  observed  was  useless,  he  desired  her  to 
burn  it,  which  she  did,  and  then  took  the 
other  and  put  it  way  ;  after  this  was  done  I 
returned  again  to  his  bed  side  and  took  his 
hand  :  He  said  to  me,  "I  find  I  am  going — 
my  breath  cannot  continue  long  :  I  believed 
from  the  first  attack  it  would  be  fatal.  Do 
you  arrange  and  record  all  my  military  letters 
and  papers  ;  arrange  my  accounts  and  settle 
my  books,  as  you  know  more  about  them  than 
any  one  else ;  and  let  Mr.  Rawlins  finish  re 
cording  my  other  letters,  which  he  has  be 
gun."  He  asked  when  Mr.  Lewis  and  Wash 
ington  would  return  ?  I  told  him  I  believed 
about  the  20th  of  the  month.  He  made  no  re 
ply  to  it. 

"  The  physicians  came  in  between  five  and 
six  o'clock,  and,  when  they  came  to  his  bed 
side,  Dr.  Craik  asked  him  if  he  would  sir  up 


WASHINGTON.  249 

in  the  bed :  he  held  out  his  hand  to  me  and 
was  raised  up,  when  he  said  to  the  physician 
— "  I  feel  myself  going ;  you  had  better  not 
take  any  more  trouble  about  me,  but  let  me  go 
off  quietly  ;  1  cannot  last  long."  They  found 
what  had  been  done  was  without  effect  ;  he 
laid  down  again,  and  they  retired,  excepting 
Dr.  Craik.  He  then  said  to  him — "  Doctor, 
1  die  hard,  but  I  am  not  afraid  to  go  ;  I  be 
lieved,  from  my  first  attack,  I  should  not  sur 
vive  it;  my  breath  cannot  last  long."  The 
doctor  pressed  his  hand,  but  could  not  utter  a 
word  ;  he  retired  from  the  bedside  and  sat  by 
the  fire,  absorbed  in  grief.  About  eight  o'clock 
the  physicians  again  came  into  the  room,  and 
applied  blisters  to  his  legs,  but  went  out  with 
out  a  ray  of  hope.  From  this  time  he  appeared 
to  breathe  with  less  difficulty  than  he  had 
done,  but  was  very  restless,  continually  chang 
ing  his  position,  to  endeavour  to  get  ease.  I 
aided  him  all  in  my  power,  and  was  gratified 
in  believing  he  felt  it,  for  he  would  look  upon 
me  with  eyes  speaking  gratitude,  but  unable 
to  utter  a  word  without  great  distress.  About 
ten  o'clock  he  made  several  attempts  to  speak 
to  me  before  he  could  effect  it ;  at  length  he 
said,  "  I  am  just  going.  Have  ine  decently 
buried;  and  do  not  let  my  body  be  put  into 
the  vault  in  less  than  two  days  after  I  am 
dead."  I  bowed  assent.  He  looked  at  me 
again,  and  said,  "  Do  you  understand  me  ?" 
t  replied,  "  Yes,  sir."  "  'Tis  well,"  said  he. 


250  LIFE    OF 

About  ten  minutes  before  he  expired,  his 
breathing  became  much  easier — he  lay  quiet 
ly — lie  withdrew  his  hand  from  mine  and  felt 
his  own  pulse.  I  spoke  to  Dr.  Crnik,  who 
snt  by  the  tire  ;  he  came  to  the  bedside.  The 
General's  hand  fell  from  his  wrist  ;  I  took  it 
in  mine  and  placed  it  on  my  breast.  Dr.  Craik 
placed  his  hands  over  his  eyes,  and  he  expired 
without  a  struggle  or  a  sigh."  His  loved  wife 
kneeled  beside  his  bed,  with  her  head  resting 
on  the  Bible,  in  which  she  daily  read  the  pre 
cepts,  and  cheering  promises  of  her  Saviour; 
and  they  comforted  her  in  her  hour  of  deepest 
eorrow.  Her  miniature  portrait  was  found  on 
the  bosom  of  Washington,  where  he  had  worn 
it  for  forty  years. 

The  report  of  his  death  reached  Congress 
oefore  they  knew  of  his  sickness ;  and  when 
they  heard  it,  a  solemn  silence  prevailed  for 
several  minutes  ;  Judge  Marshall,  afterwards 
Chief  Justice  of  the  United  States,  observed, 
"  This  information  is  not  certain,  but  there  is 
too  much  reason  to  believe  it  true.  After  re 
ceiving  intelligence  of  a  national  calamity  so 
heavy  and  afflicting,  the  House  of  Representa 
tives  can  be  but  ill-fitted  for  public  business." 
He  .  then  moved  an  adjournment,  and  both 
houses  adjourned  until  the  next  day.  When 
Congress  then  met,  Mr.  Marshall  proposed 
several  resolutions;  one  of  which  was,  "Re 
solved,  That  a  committee,  in  conjunction  with 
one  from  the  Senate,  be  appointed,  to  consi- 


WASHINGTON.  201 

der  on  the  most  suitable  manner  of  paying  ho 
nour  to  the  memory  of  the  man,  first  in  war, 
first  in  peace,  and  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  fel 
low-citizens." 

The  Senate  addressed  a  letter  to  the  presi 
dent,  in  which  they  said,  "Permit  us,  sir,  to 
mingle  our  tears  with  yours.  On  this  occasion 
it  is  manly  to  weep.  To  lose  such  a  man,  at 
such  a  crisis,  is  no  common  calamity  to  the 
world.  Our  country  mourns  a  father.  The 
Almighty  disposer  of  human  events  has  taken 
from  us  our  greatest  benefactor  and  ornament. 
It  becomes  us  to  submit  with  reverence  to 
him  '  who  maketh  darkness  his  pavilion.'  ' 

The  president  returned  an  answer  expres* 
sive  of  his  sorrow  for  the  cteath  of  Washing 
ton,  and  in  the  conclusion  of  it,  said,  "  Hia 
example  is  now  complete  ;  and  it  will  teach 
wisdom  and  virtue  to  magistrates,  citizens  and 
men ;  and  not  only  in  the  present  age,  but  in 
future  generations,  as  long  as  our  history  shall 
be  read." 

The  people  throughout  the  United  States 
mourned  for  Washington.  They  had  been 
ever  ready  to  unite  in  expressing  their  grate 
ful  attachment  to  him,  and  they  felt  that  they 
had  indeed  lost  their  greatest  benefactor. 

In  his  will,  which  was  a  just  and  .benevo 
lent  one,  he  directed  that  his  body  should  be 
laid  in  a  vault,  at  Mount  Vernon  ;  and  added, 
"  It  is  my  express  desire,  that  my  corpse  may 


252  LIFE    OF    WASHINGTON. 

be  intered  in  a  private  manner,  without  parade 
or  funeral  oration." 

The  original  family  vault  of  General  Wash 
ington  was  about  three  hundred  yards  south  of 
the  mansion,  and  consisted  of  a  narrow  excava 
tion  in  the  bank,  arched  over  with  brick  and 
covered  with  sod.  It  was  his  design  to  have  ap 
propriated  another  spot  to  this  purpose,  and  he 
actually  selected  one  before  his  death.  A  few 
years  since  a  brick  tomb  was  built  on  the  site 
thus  selected.  The  front  of  the  tomb  is  rough 
cast,  and  has  a  plain  iron  door  inserted  in  a 
strong  free-stone  casement.  Over  the  door  is 
a  stone  panel,  on  which  the  following  sentence 
is  engraved : 

"  I  AM  THE  RESURRECTION  AND  THE  LIFE  ; 
HE  THAT  BELIEVETH  IN  ME,  THOUGH  HE  WERE 
DEAD,  YF/F  SHALL  HE  LIVE." 

The  spot  is  enclosed  \yith  a  brick  wall, 
twelve  feet  high,  and  entered  in  front  by  an 
iron  gateway,  several  feet  in  advance  of  the 
vault  door.  Over  the  gate  is  a  plain  slab  in 
serted  in  the  brick  work,  on  which  is  inscribed 
the  following  sentence : 

"  WITHIN  THIS  ENCLOSURE  REST  THE  RE 
MAINS  OF  GENERAL  GEORGE  WASHINGTON.' 


WASHINGTON.  253 


CONCLUSION.* 

WASHINGTON  was  born  on  the  22d  February, 
in  the  year  1732,  and  died  on  the  14th  De 
cember,  1799. 

One  hundred  years  have  elapsed  since  he 
was  a  child  in  a  country  school.  From  the 
time  he  was  thirteen  years  old,  his  manuscript 
school  books  have  been  preserved.  He  had 
then  completed  the  study  of  arithmetic,  and 
these  books  commence  with  geometry.  All 
the  writing  is  neat,  and  the  geometrical  figures 
drawn  with  accuracy.  There  is  one  book  of 
an  earlier  date,  containing  thirty  folio  paires  ; 
many  of  which  are  filled  with  what  he  terms 
"  Forms  of  Writing."  They  are  notes  of 
hand,  bills  of  exchange,  land  warrants,  deeds, 
wills,  &c.,  carefully  written;  the  most  impor 
tant  words  in  large  and  varied  characters,  in 
imitation  of  a  clerk's  hand.  Under  the  head 
of  "  Rules  of  J3ekaviour  in  Company  and 
Conversation,"  one  hundred  and  ten  are  writ 
ten  and  numbered.  A  few  will  serve  to  show 
their  general  character,  and  may  be  useful  to 
the  young  reader,  as  proofs  of  the  early  dili- 

*  The  additional  information  contained  in  this  conclu 
sion,  has  been  selected  from  "  The  Life  and  Writings  of 
Washington,"  in  twelve  volumes,  by  Jared  Sparks,  who 
had  in  his  possession,  for  ten  years,  all  the  original  pub 
lic  and  private  papers  of  Washington  ;  and  from  these 
and  other  sources  drew  materials  for  his  invaluable 
work,  published  in  1839. 


'254  LIFE    OF 

gence  of  Washington  in  using  every  means  in 
his  power  to  polish  his  manners,  cherish  kind 
feelings,  impress  upon  his  memory  his  duties, 
and  incite  to  continual  self-discipline. 

Selections  from  the  Rules. 

"In  your  apparel  be  modest,  and  endeavoui 
to  accommodate  nature  rather  than  to  procure 
admiration ;  keep  to  the  fashion  and  habits  of 
your  equals,  such  as  are  civil  and  orderly  with 
respect  to  times  and  places." 

"  Play  not  the  peacock,  looking  everywhere 
about  you  to  see  if  you  be  well  decked,  if  your 
shoes  fit  well,  if  your  stockings  sit  neatly,  and 
clothes  handsomely." 

"  Be  not  curious  to  know  the  affairs  of 
others ;  neither  approach  to  those  that  speak 
in  private." 

"  Come  not  near  the  books  or  writings  of 
any  one  so  as  to  read  them,  unless  desired,  nor 
give  your  opinion  of  them  unasked  ;  also  look 
not  nigh  when  another  is  writing  a  letter." 

"  Read  no  letters,  books,  or  papers  in  com 
pany  ;  but  when  there  is  a  necessity  for  doing 
it,  you  must  ask  leave." 

"Associate  yourself  with  men  of  good 
quality  if  you  esteem  your  own  reputation ;  for 
it  is  better  to  be  alone  than  in  bad  company." 

"  Every  action  in  company  ought  to  be  with 
some  sign  of  respect  to  those  present." 

"  Be  not  forward,  but  friendly  and  courte- 


WASHINGTON.  255 

ous ;  the  first  to  salute,  hear  and  answer;  and 
be  not  pensive  when  it  is  a  time  to  converse." 

"  Think  before  you  speak,  pronounce  not 
imperfectly,  nor  bring  out  your  tvords  too 
hastily,  but  orderly  and  distinctly." 

*'  Strive  not  with  your  superiors  in  argu 
ment,  but  always  submit  your  judgment  to 
others  with  modesty." 

"  When  another  speaks,  be  attentive  your 
self,  and  disturb  not  the  audience." 

"  Let  your  conversation  be  without  malice 
or  envy,  for' it  is  a  sign  of  a  tractable  and  com 
mendable  nature  ;  and  in  all  causes  of  passion 
admit  reason  to  govern." 

"  In  dispute,  be  not  so  desirous  to  overcome 
as  not  to  give  liberty  to  each  one  to  deliver 
his  opinion;  and  submit  to  the  judgment  of 
4.he  major  part,  especially  if  they  are  judges 
'if  the  dispute." 

"  Speak  not  injurious  words,  neither  in  jest 
tor  earnest ;  scoff  at  none,  although  they  give 
Occasion." 

"  Be  not  hasty  to  believe  flying  reports  to 
the  disparagement  of  any." 

"  Be  not  apt  to  relate  news,  if  you  know  not 
the  truth  thereof.  In  discoursing  of  things  you 
have  heard,  name  not  your  author  always.  A 
secret,  discover  not." 

"  Speak  not  evil  of  the  absent,  for  it  is  un 
just." 

"  Detract  not  from  others,  neither  be  exces 
sive  in  commending." 


256  LIFE    OF 

"Use  no  reproachful  language  against  any 
one,  neither  curse  nor  revile." 

"  Mock  not,  nor  jest  at  any  thing  of  im 
portance." 

"  When  you  deliver  a  matter,  do  it  without 
passion,  and  with  discretion,  however  mean 
the  person  be  you  do  it  to." 

"  Show  not  yourself  glad  at  the  misfortune 
of  another,  though  he  were  your  enemy." 

"  When  a  man  does  all  he  can,  though  it 
succeeds  not  well,  blame  not  him  that  did 
it." 

"  Wherein  you  reprove  another  be  unblam 
able  yourself;  for  example  is  more  prevalent 
than  precept." 

"Being  to  advise  or  reprehend  any  one, 
consider  whether  it  ought  to  be  in  public,  or 
in  private ;  presently,  or  at  some  other  time ;  in 
what  terms  to  do  it ;  and  in  reproving,  show 
no  signs  of  choler,  but  do  it  with  sweetness 
and  mildness." 

"Take  all  admonitions  thankfully,  in  what 
time  or  place  soever  given ;  but  afterwards, 
not  being  culpable,  take  a  time  or  place  con 
venient  to  let  him  know  it  that  gave  them." 

"  Undertake  not  what  you  cannot  perform, 
but  be  careful  to  keep  your  promise." 

"  Honour  and  obey  your  natural  parents, 
although  they  be  poor." 

"  When  you  speak  of  God,  or  his  attributes, 
let  it  be  seriously  in  reverence." 

"  Sublime  matters  treat  seriously." 


WASHINGTON.  257 

"  Let  your  recreations  be  manful,  not  sin- 
61." 

"  Labour  to  keep  alive  in  your  breast  that 
little  spark  of  celestial  fire  called  conscience" 

Washington  vigilantly  obeyed  this  last  coun 
sel ;  and  endeavoured  "to  have  always  a  con 
science  void  of  offence  toward  God  and  toward 
men."  Self-discipline,  thus  early  commenced 
and  unweariedly  persevered  in,  enabled  him  to 
control  his  naturally  strong  temper,  and  check 
his  ardent  feelings.  And  the  mildness  and 
propriety  of  his  manners,  the  firm  correctness 
with  which  he  spoke  and  acted  on 'all  occa 
sions,  evinced  that  he  was  influenced  through 
life  by  the  code  of  rules  formed  in  his  boyhood  ; 
and  when  a  young  fatherless  nephew  was 
under  his  care,  in  a  letter  of  advice  to  him  he 
said,  "  Your  future  character  and  reputation 
will  depend  very  much,  if  not  entirely,  upon 
the  habits  and  manners  which  you  contract  in 
the  present  period  of  your  life.  You  should 
therefore  be  extremely  cautious  how  you  put 
yourself  into  the  way  of  imbibing  those  cus 
toms  which  may  tend  to  corrupt  your  manners, 
or  vitiate  your  heart." 

Excellent  as  was  his  code  of  maxims,  the 
book  which  contains  it  shows  that  it  was  not 
the  highest  source  from  which  the  youthful 
writer  sought  aid  to  form  a  virtuous  character; 
for  there  also  are  transcribed  selections  of  reli- 
Y2 


258  LIFE    OF 

gious  poetry;  one  of  which  written  on  Christ 
mas  day,  commences  thus : 

"  Assist  me,  muse  divine,  to  sing  the  morn, 
On  which  the  Saviour  of  mankind  was  born." 

The  pious  feelings  which  prompted  the  boy 
of  thirteen  to  employ  his  pen  with  this  holy 
theme,  induced  him  in  early  manhood,  when 
under  the  English  government  he  commanded 
a  portion  of  the  army,  to  apply  earnestly  for 
chaplains  to  perform  divine  service  regularly ; 
and  in  his  orders  to  desire  the  officers  "  to 
punish  severely  any  man  whom  they  should 
hear  swear,  or  make  use  of  an  oath."  And 
when  he  was  at  the  head  of  the  American 
army,  influenced  by  the  same  feelings,  in 
giving  orders  to  the  commanding  officers  of 
each  regiment  to  procure  chaplains,  he  directed 
that  they  should  see  that  all  inferior  officers 
and  soldiers  should  pay  them  suitable  respect; 
and  added,  "  The  blessing  and  protection  of 
Heaven  are  at  all  times  necessary ;  but  espe 
cially  so  in  times  of  public  distress  and  danger. 
The  general  hopes  and  trusts  that  every  officer 
and  man  will  live  and  act  as  becomes  a  Chris 
tian  soldier,  defending  the  dearest  rights  and 
liberties  of  his  country."  After  expressing 
sorrow  that  the  "  foolish  and  wicked  practice 
of  profane  cursing  and  swearing  had  become 
common;  and  a  hope  that  the  officers  would 
by  their  example  as  well  as  influence,  check  it, 
he  said,  "And  that  both  they  and  the  men 


WASHINGTON.  259 

will  reflect — that  we  can  have  little  hope  of 
the  blessing  of  Heaven  on  our  arms,  if  we  in 
sult  it  by  our  impiety  and  folly.  Added  to  this, 
it  is  a  vice  so  mean  and  low,  without  ^iy 
temptation,  that  every  man  of  sense  and  cha 
racter  detests  and  despises  it." 

In  his  sixteenth  year,  the  last  summer  that 
he  was  at  school,  he  surveyed  the  fields  around 
the  school-house ;  and  those  of  the  adjoining 
plantations,  entered  the  result  carefully  in  a 
book,  used  logarithms,  and  proved  the  accu 
racy  of  his  work  by  different  methods.  He 
thus  filled  several  quires  of  paper,  in  which 
there  are  no  blots  ;  the  diagrams  are  beautiful, 
and  the  tables  and  columns  of  figures  arranged 
with  precision.  Through  his  busy  life  he  felt 
the  benefit  of  his  early  methodical  habits.  All 
nis  business-papers  and  letter-books  are  with 
out  blemishes ;  and  are  excellent  specimens 
of  exactness.  His  original  papers,  including 
his  own  letters  and  those  which  he  received, 
amount  to  more  than  two  hundred  folio  vo- 
Inrnes.  They  now  belong  to  the  American, 
nation  ;  for  they  have  been  purchased  by  Con 
gress,  and  deposited  in  the  archives  of  the  de 
partment  of  state  at  the  seat  of  government. 
His  earliest  compositions  were  incorrect  in 
their  grammatical  construction,  and  prove  that 
he  was  not  taught  at  school  the  principles  of 
language  ;  but  he  perseveringly  tried  to  im 
prove  himself  by  study,  reading  and  practice, 
until  he  wrote  correctly,  and  used  the  most 


260 


LIFE    OF 


appropriate  words  to  express  his  thoughts 
And  it  has  been  remarked  that  "  His  language 
ma^>e  said  to  have  reflected  the  image  of  his 
miifl^  in  which  candour,  sincerity,  and  direct 
ness  were  prevailing  traits."  His  assiduity 
was  no  doubt  very  gratifying  to  his  anxious 
mother,  who  could  not  procure  for  him  the  aid 
of  a  learned  instructor;  but  she  religiously 
nculcated  in  his  childhood  those  virtuous 
principles  without  which  the  most  learned  edu 
cation  is  useless.  Her  son  proved,  by  his  love 
and  respect,  his  gratitude  for  her  pious  solici 
tude.  When  she  died,  he  was  President  of  the 
United  States  ;  he  was  recovering  from  a  se 
vere  illness,  and  wrote  thus  to  his  sister:  "  Aw 
ful  and  affecting  as  the  death  of  a  parent  is, 
there  is  consolation  in  knowing  that  Heaven 
has  spared  us  ours  to  an  age  beyond  which 
few  attain,  and  favoured  her  with  the  enjoy 
ment  of  her  mental  faculties,  and  as  much 
bodily  strength  as  usually  falls  to  the  lot  of 
fourscore.  Under  these  considerations,  and  a 
hope  that  she  is  translated  to  a  happier  place, 
it  is  the  duty  of  her  relatives  to  yield  submis 
sion  to  the  decrees  of  the  Creator." 

Knowing  and  feeling  the  importance  of  edu 
cation,  he  was  always  anxious  to  promote  it, 
and  when,  soon  after  the  war,  he  was  chosen 
Chancellor  of  William  and  Mary  College  in 
Virginia,  in  his  answer  to  the  trustees  accept 
ing  the  appointment,  he  said,  "  I  rely  fully  on 
your  strenuous  endeavours  for  placing  the  sys- 


WASHINGTON.  261 

tern  on  such  a  basis  as  will  render  it  most 
beneficial  to  the  state  and  the  republic  of  letters, 
as  well  as  to  the  more  extensive  interests  of 
humanity  and  religion.''1  In  several  instajfes 
he  offered  to  pay  the  expenses  of  young  men 
through  a  collegiate  course.  And  for  many 
years  gave  annually  fifty  pounds  for  the  in 
struction  of  poor  children  in  Alexandria  ;  and 
in  his  will  left  a  legacy  of  four  thousand  dol 
lars,  the  income  of  which  was  to  be  thus  ap 
plied  forever.  He  always  remembered  the 
poor.  When  Mrs.  Washington  was  with  him 
in  the  camp,  he  wrote  to  the  person,-wllb  had 
the  care  of  his  farm:  "Let  the  hospitalities 
of  the  house  with  respect  to  the  poor  be  kept 
up.  Let  no  one  go  hungry  away."  He  then 
directed  that  those  who  wanted  corn  should  be 
supplied,  provided  it  should  not  encourage 
them  in  idleness  ;  and  that  forty  or  fifty  pounds 
should  be  expended  for  the  relief  of  the  needy. 
It  has  been  said  of  him,  that  "  the  character 
of  his  mind  was  unfolded  in  the  public  and 
private  acts  of  his  life ;  and  the  proofs  of  his 
greatness  are  seen  almost  as  much  in  one  as 
the  other."  When  he  was  at  the  head  of  the 
army,  and  at  the  height  of  his  power,  a  propo 
sal  was  made  to  him  to  take  the  title  of  king ; 
in  his  answer  to  the  officer  through  whom  it 
was  made,  he  said,  "  Be  assured,  sir,  no  occur 
rence  in  the  course  of  the  war  has  given  me 
more  painful  sensations  than  your  information 
of  there  being  such  ideas  existing  in  the  arrny 


262  LIFE    OF 

as  you  have  expressed,  and  I  must  view  with 
abhorrence,  and  reprehend  with  severity."  He 
always  formed  his  determinations  deliberately, 
anwthen  used  his  power  with  firmness,  when 
he  knew  that  by  doing  so  he  should  be  acting 
as  "  the  Father  of  his  country"  in  promoting  its 
prosperity  :  and  when  addresses  were  sent  to 
induce  him  to  refuse  to  sign  the  treaty  which 
he  had  appointed  Mr.  Jay  to  negotiate  with 
England  ;  in  his  answer  to  one  he  said,  "  While 
I  feel  the  most  lively  gratitude  for  the  many 
instances  of  approbation  from  my  country,  I 
can  no  otherwise  deserve  it  than  by  obeying 
the  dictates  of  rny  conscience."  And  in  a  let 
ter  to  a  friend  he  said,  "  The  good  citizen  will 
look  beyond  the  applauses  and  reproaches  of 
men,  and,  persevering  in  duty,  stand  firm  in 
conscious  rectitude,  in  the  hope  of  approving 
Heaven."*  There  is  a  natural  fearlessness  of 
danger,  which  is  miscalled  courage,  when  it 
induces  a  selfish  disregard  of  the  welfare  of 
others.  Courage,  physical  and  moral,  was  a 
part  of  the  nature  of  Washington ;  but  his 
highest  ambition  was  to  promote  the  happi 
ness  of  mankind  ;  and  the  noble  sentiments  of 
this  humane  hero  were  thus  expressed  in  a 
letter  to  a  French  nobleman.  "  Your  young 
military  men  who  want  to  reap  a  harvest  of 
laurels,  do  not  care,  I  suppose,  how  many 
seeds  of  war  are  sown  ;  but,  for  the  sake  of  hu 
manity,  it  is  devoutly  to  be  wished  that  the 
*  See  page  230. 


WASHINGTON.  263 

manly  employment  of  agriculture,  and  the  hu 
manizing  benefits  of  commerce  would  super 
sede  the  waste  of  war,  and  the  rage  of  con 
quest  ;  that  the  swords  might  be  turned  into 
ploughshares,  and  the  spears  into  pruning- 
hooks ;  and,  as  the  Scriptures  express  it,  '  the 
nations  learn  war  no  more.' "  On  another  oc 
casion  he  said,  "  My  first  wish  is  to  see  the 
whole  world  in  peace,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
it  as  a  band  of  brothers,  striving  who  should 
contribute  most  to  the  happiness  of  mankind."* 
He  knew  that  this  could  be  effected  only  by 
the  universal  influence  of  the  precepts  of  Jesus, 
the  Divine  "  Prince  of  Peace  ;"  and  in  answer 
ing  the  address  of  the  clergy  and  laity  of  the 
Episcopal  church,  presented  when  he  was  first 
elected  president,  he  said,  "  On  this  occasion 
it  would  ill  become  me  to  conceal  the  joy  I 
have  felt  in  perceiving  the  fraternal  affection 
which  appears  to  increase  every  day  among 
the  friends  of  genuine  religion.  It  affords  edi 
fying  prospects  indeed,  to  see  Christians  of 
every  denomination  dwell  together  in  more 
charity,  and  conduct  themselves  in  respect  to 
each  other  with  a  more  Christian  spirit  than 

*  Mr.  Erskine,  afterwards  Lord  Erskine,  addressed 
to  Washington  a  letter,  dated  London,  March  15,  1795, 
in  which  he  said,  "  I  have  a  large  acquaintance  among 
the  most  valuable  and  exalted  classes  of  men  ;  but  you 
are  the  only  human  being  for  whom  I  ever  felt  an  aw 
ful  reverence.  I  sincerely  pray  God  to  grant  a  long  and 
serene  evening  to  a  life  so  gloriously  devoted  to  the  uni 
versal  happiness  of  the  world," 


264  LIFE    OF 

ever  they  have  done  in  any  former  age,  or  in 
any  other  nation." 

The  various  addresses  he  received  then,  and 
his  answers,  fill  three  manuscript  volumes. 
The  close  of  his  answer  to  the  ministers  of  one 
religious  denomination,  will  show  the  feelings 
which  influenced  him  in  replying  to  all ;  he 
said,  "  I  assure  you  I  take  in  the  kindest  part 
the  promise  you  make  of  presenting  your 
prayers  at  the  throne  of  grace  for  me ;  and  that 
I  likewise  will  implore  the  divine  benediction 
on  yourselves  and  your  religious  community." 
This  declaration  of  Washington  was  not  an 
unmeaning  profession,  and  no  doubt  he  lite 
rally  fulfilled  this  promise  to  pray  for  those 
whose  prayers  for  him  were  proffered.  He 
was  in  the  habit  of  communing  with  God,  or 
he  would  not  have  made  such  an  engagement. 
His  practice  was  always  in  conformity  with 
the  opinions  and  feelings  he  expressed,  and  he 
had  evinced  his  sentiments  on  Christian  unity 
of  spirit  when  the  American  army  lay  encamp 
ed  at  Morristown.  He  called  on  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Jones,  the  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
of  that  village,  and  said,  "  Dr.,  I  understand 
that  thfe  Lord's  supper  is  to  be  celebrated  with 
you  next  Sunday ;  I  would  learn  if  it  accords 
with  the  canon  of  your  church  to  admit  commu 
nicants  of  another  denomination  ?"  The  doctor 
replied,  "  Most  certainly  ;  ours  is  not  the  Pres 
byterian  table,  general,  but  the  Lord's  table ; 
and  we  hence  give  the  Lord's  invitation  to  all 


WASHINGTON.  265 

his  followers,  of  whatever  name."  The  gene 
ral  replied,  "  I  am  glad  of  it,  that  is  as  it  ought 
to  be ;  but  as  I  was  not  quite  sure  of  the  fact, 
I  thought  I  would  ascertain  it  from  yourself 
as  I  propose  to  join  with  you  on  that  occasion. 
Though  a  member  of  the  Church  of  England, 
I  have  no  exclusive  partialities."  Dr.  Jones 
assured  him  of  a  cordial  welcome,  and  he  took 
his  seat  with  the  communicants  on  the  next 
Sabbath.  Early  in  life,  he  was  actively  inte 
rested  in  church  affairs ;  was  a  vestryman  of 
Truro  parish,  in  which  was  Pohick  church, 
seven  miles  from  Mount  Vernon.  He  was 
also  a  vestryman  in  Fairfax  parish,  the  place 
of  worship  of  which  was  in  Alexandria,  ten 
miles  from  his  home.  He  had  a  pew  in  each 
church.  On  a  day  appointed  for  fasting,  hu 
miliation  and  prayer,  he  wrote  in  his  diary, 
"  Went  to  church  and  fasted  all  day"  Con 
forming  not  only  to  the  spirit,  but  strictly  to 
the  letter  of  the  appointment.  His  private 
devotional  habits  were  in  accordance  with  his 
(  invariable  public  ones.  He  usually  rose  at  four 
o'clock  and  went  into  his  library.  His  nephew, 
Mr.  Robert  Lev/is,  who  was  his  private  secre 
tary  when  he  was  president,  said  that  he  had  ac 
cidentally  witnessed  his  private  devotions  both 
morning  and  evening ;  that  on  those  occasions 
he  had  seen  him  in  a  kneeling  posture,  with  a 
Bible  open  before  him ;  and  that  he  believed 
such  to  have  been  his  daily  practice.  He 
adopted  a  grand-daughter  of  Mrs.  Washington, 
Z 


266  LIFE    OF 

and  she  resided  in  his  family  twenty  years.  In 
a  letter,  dated  1833,  that  lady  wrote  of  Wash 
ington  thus  :  "  It  was  his  custom  to  retire  to 
his  library  at  nine  or  ten  o'clock,  where  he  re 
mained  an  hour  before  he  went  to  his  cham 
ber.  He  always  rose  before  the  sun,  and 
remained  in  his  library  until  called  to  break 
fast.  I  never  witnessed  his  private  devotions. 
I  never  inquired  about  them.  I  should  have 
thought  it  the  greatest  heresy  to  doubt  his  firm 
belief  in  Christianity.  His  life,  his  writings, 
prove  that  he  was  a  Christian.  He  was  not 
one  of  those  who  act  or  pray  « that  they  may 
be  seen  of  men ;'  he  communed  with  his  God 
in  secret.  *  *  *  When  my  aunt,  Miss  Custis, 
died  suddenly  at  Mount  Vernon,  before  they 
could  realize  the  event,  he  knelt  by  her  and 

grayed  most  fervently,  most  affectionately,  for 

:hcr  recovery.  He  was  a  silent,  thoughtful 
man.  He  spoke  little,  generally  never  of  him- 

--seC£.  I  never  heard  him  relate  a  single  act  of 
his  life  during  the  war."  After  some  other 

•remarks,  she  mentions  her  grandmother  thus  : 
"  He  knew  that  I  had  the  most  perfect  model 
of  female  excellence  ever  with  me,  as  my  mo- 
nitress,  who  acted  the  part  of  a  tender  and  de 
voted  parent,  loving  me  only  as  a  mother  can 
love,  and  never  extenuating,  or  approving  in 
me  what  she  disapproved  in  others. :  She  never 
omitted  her  private  devotions  or  her  public 
duties ;  and  she  and  her  husband  were  so  per- 

:  fectly  united  and  happy  that  he  must  have 


WASHINGTON.  267 

been  a  Christian.*  She  had  no  doubts,  no 
fears  for  him.  After  forty  years  of  devoted 
affection  and  uninterrupted  happiness,  she  re 
signed  him  without  a  murmur  into  the  arms 
of  his  Saviour  and  his  God,  with  the  assured 
hope  of  his  eternal  felicity.  Is  it  necessary 
that  any  one  should  certify  General  Washing 
ton  avowed  himself  to  me  a  believer  in  Chris 
tianity?  as  well  may  we  question  his  patriot 
ism,  his  heroic  disinterested  devotion  to  his 

*  In  the  first  year  of  Washington's  presidency,  Mrs. 
Washington  wrote  to  a  friend  thus:  "I  little  thought 
when  the  war  was  finished  that  any  circumstances  could 
possibly  happen  that  would  call  the  general  into  public 
life  again.  I  had  anticipated  that  from  that  moment  we 
should  be  suffered  to  grow  old  together  in  solitude  and 
tranquillity.  That  was  the  first  and  dearest  wish  of  my 
heart.  I  will  not,  however,  contemplate  with  too  much 
regret,  disappointments  that  were  inevitable,  though  his 
feelings  and  my  own  were  in  perfect  unison  with  respect 
to  our  predilection  for  private  life.  Yet,  I  cannot  blame 
him  for  having  acted  according  to  his  ideas  of  duty  in 
obeying  the  voice  of  his  country.  *  *  With  respect 
to  myself,  I  sometimes  think  the  arrangement,  is  not 
quite  as  it  ought  to  have  been,  that  I  who  had  much 
rather  be  at  home,  should  occupy  a  place  with  which  a 
great  many  younger  and  gayer  women  would  be  ex 
tremely  pleased.  *****  I  do  not  say  this  because  I 
feel  dissatisfied  with  my  present  station,  for  everybody 
and  every  thing  conspire  to  make  me  as  contented  as 
possible  in  it ;  yet,  I  have  learned  too  much  of  the  vanity 
of  human  affairs,  to  expect  felicity  from  the  scenes  of 
public  life.  I  am  still  determined  to  be  cheerful  and 
happy  in  whatever  situation  I  may  be  ;  for  I  have  also 
learned  from  experience,  that  the  greater  part  of  our 
happiness  or  misery  depends  on  our  dispositions,  and 
not  on  our  circumstances.  We  carry  the  seeds  of  the 
one  or  the  other  about  with  us  in  our  minds  wherever 
we  go." 


268  LIFE    OF 

country.  His  mottoes  were,  '  DEEDS,  NOT 
WORDS;  and,  FOR  GOD  AND  MY  COUNTRY.'  '' 

This  truly  great  man,  when  lie  was  dying, 
evinced  tender  solicitude  for  the  comfort  of 
others.  His  coloured  servant,  Christopher,  had 
been  for  some  time  standing  in  his  room,  and 
was  directed  by  him  to  sit  down.  Mr.  Lear, 
who  was  on  the  bed  endeavouring  to  assist  him, 
when  he  wished  to  change  his  posture,  said, 
"  He  appeared  penetrated  with  gratitude  for 
my  attentions,  and  often  said,  'I  am  afraid  I 
shall  fatigue  you  too  much ;'  and  upon  my  as 
suring  him  that  I  could  feel  nothing  but  a  wish 
to  give  him  ease,  he  replied,  '  Well,  it  is  a 
debt  we  must  pay  to  each  other,  and  I  hope 
when  you  want  aid  of  this  kind  you  will  find 
it.'  His  patience,  fortitude,  and  resignation, 
never  forsook  him  for  a  moment.  In  all  his 
distress  he  uttered  not  a  sigh  nor  a  complaint; 
always  endeavouring,  from  a  sense  of  duty  as 
it  appeared,  to  take  what  was  offered  to  him, 
and  to  do  as  he  was  desired  by  the  physicians." 

Young  reader,  you  have  learned  why  there 
was  cause  for  joy  in  WASHINGTON'S  birth-day, 
and  for  sorrow  in  the  day  of  his  death.  If  you 
have  been  attentive  to  what  you  have  read  of 
his  conduct,  from  the  one  day  to  the  other,  you 
know  that  in  childhood  he  was  a  lover  of  truth, 
and  a  peacemaker  among  his  schoolmates ; — 
that  in  boyhood  he  was  a  diligent  scholar,  and 
the  leader  of  his  companions — not  in  mischief, 
folly,  of  vice, — but  in  harmless  and  healthy 


WASHINGTON.  269 

exercises;  and  was  a  pattern  of  obedience  to 
the  wishes  of  a  parent; — that,  when  the  years 
of  boyhood  were  passed,  he  immediately  ap 
plied  to  useful  purposes  the  knowledge  which 
ne  had  acquired  by  attention  to  instruction  ; 
and  that  early  in  manhood,  he  merited  the  con 
fidence  of  the  government  of  his  native  Pro 
vince,  and  was  intrusted  with  important  dnd 
dangerous  duties,  which  he  performed  with 
faithful  perseverance  ; — that  he  used  all  his 
talents,  and  spent  almost  all  his  years,  from 
manhood  to  declining  age,  in  the  service  and 
for  the  benefit  of  his  fellow-beings  ;  and  even 
in  old  age,  was  willing  to  yield  the  peaceful 
enjoyments  which  he  loved  most,  because  he 
thought  that  it  was  "  the  duty  of  every  person, 
of  every  description,  to  contribute,  at  all  times, 
to  his  country's  welfare." 

Through  all  his  course  of  trials  and  tempta 
tions,  in  adversity  or  prosperity,  he  was  just, 
industrious,  temperate,  honest,  generous,  brave, 
humane,  modest, — a  real  lover  of  his  country, 
and  an  humble  worshipper  of  God.  Was  he 
not  worthy  of  your  imitation  ?  Your  station 
in  life  may  be  a  lowly  one,  but  if  your  home 
is  even  a  log  hut,  you  may  be,  like  Washing 
ton,  a  lover  of  truth,  temperate,  industrious, 
just,  humane,  honest,  submissive  to  the  go 
vernment  of  your  country,  and  obedient  to  the 
commands  of  God,  and  grow  up  to  be  indeed 
freemen, — and  to  enjoy,  under  the  protection 
of  just  laws,  the  comfortable  subsistence  which 
z  2 


270  LIFE    OF    WASHINGTON. 

in  this  favoured  land  you  may  obtain  for  your 
selves. 

But,  remember,  Washington  directed  his 
countrymen  to  a  higher  example  than  his  ;  he 
said  that  he  earnestly  prayed  they  might  fol 
low  that  Of  "  THE  DIVINE  AUTHOR  OF  OUR 

BLESSED  RELIGION;"  and  the  Bible,  the  sacred 
book  which  makes  known  that  example,  you 
should  value  as  the  crown  of  all  your  blessings ; 
for  in  it,  you  may  learn  how  to  secure  their 
continuance  through  this  short  life,  and  how 
to  obtain  that  blissful  gift  of  God,  "Eternal 
life,  through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord." 


APPENDIX,  (A.; 


DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE. 

IN  CONGRESS,  JULY,  4,  1776. 

THE     UNANIMOUS    DECLARATION    OF    THE   THIRTEEN 
UNITED    STATES   OF   AMERICA. 

WHEN,  in  the  course  of  human  events,  it  becomes 
necessary  for  one  people  to  dissolve  the  political 
bands  which  have  connected  them  with  another, 
and  to  assume,  among  the  powers  of  the  earth,  the 
separate  and  equal  station  to  which  the  laws  of  na 
ture  and  of  nature's  God  entitle  them,  a  decent 
respect  to  the  opinions  of  mankind  requires  that 
they  should  declare  the  causes  which  impel  them 
to  the  separation. 

We  hold  these  truths  to  be  self-evident : — that 
all  men  are  creafed  equal,  that  they  are  endowed 
by  their  Creator  with  certain  unalienable  rights ; 
that  among  these  are  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit 
of  happiness.  That  to  secure  these  rights,  govern 
ments  are  instituted  among  men,  deriving  their 
just  powers  from  the  consent  of  the  governed  ; 
that  whenever  any  form  of  government  becomes 
destructive  of  these  ends,  it  is  the  right  of  the  peo 
ple  to  alter  or  to  abolish  it,  and  to  institute  a  new 
o-overnment,  laying  its  foundation  on  such  princi 
ples,  and  organizing  its  powers  in  such  form  as  to 

271 


272  DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE. 

them  shall  seem  most  likely  to  effect  their  safety 
and  happiness.  Prudence,  indeed,  will  dictate,  that 
governments  long  established  should  not  be  changed 
for  light  and  transient  causes  ;  and  accordingly  all 
experience  hath  shown,  that  mankind  are  more  dis 
posed  to  suffer  while  evils  are  sufferable,  than  tc 
ight  themselves  by  abolishing  the  forms  to  which 
hey  are  accustomed.  But  when  a  long  train  of 
buses  and  usurpations,  pursuing  invariably  the 
same  object,  evinces  a  design  to  reduce  them  under 
absolute  despotism,  it  is  their  right,  it  is  their  duty 
to  throw  off  such  government,  and  to  provide  new 
guards  for  their  future  security.  Such  has  been 
the  patient  sufferance  of  these  colonies  ;  and  such 
is  now  the  necessity  which  constrains  them  to  alter 
their  former  systems  of  government.  The  history 
of  the  present  king  of  Great  Britian  is  a  history  of 
repeated  injuries  and  usurpations,  all  having  in  di 
rect  object  the  establishment  of  an  absolute  tyranny 
over  these  states.  To  prove  this,  let  facts  be  sub 
mitted  to  a  candid  world. 

He  has  refused  his  assent  to  laws  the  most  whole 
some  and  necessary  for  the  public  good. 

He  has  forbidden  his  governors  to  pass  laws  of 
immediate  and  pressing  importance,  unless  sus 
pended  in  their  operation,  till  his  assent  should  be 
obtained ;  and  when  so  suspended,  he  has  utterly 
neglected  to  attend  to  them.  He  has  refused  to 
pass  other  laws  for  the  accommodation  of  large  dis- 


DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE.  273 

tricts  of  people,  unless  those  people  would  retaiquish 
the  right  of  representation  in  the  legislature — a 
right  inestimable  to  them,  and  formidable  to  tyrants 
only. 

He  has  called  together  legislative  bodies  at  pla 
ces  unusual,  uncomfortable,  and  distant  from  the 
repository  of  their  public  records,  for  the  sole  pur 
pose  of  fatiguing  them  into  compliance  with  his 
measures. 

He  has  dissolved  representative  houses  repeat 
edly,  for  opposing,  with  manly  firmness,  his  inva 
sions  on  the  rights  of  the  people. 

He  has  refused,  for  a  long  time  after  such  disso 
lutions,  to  cause  others  to  be  elected  ;  whereby  the 
legislative  powers,  incapable  of  annihilation,  have 
returned  to  the  people  at  large,  for  their  exercise, 
the  state  remaining,  in  the  mean  time,  exposed  to 
all  the  dangers  of  invasion  from  without,  and  con 
vulsions  within. 

He  has  endeavoured  to  prevent  the  population 
of  these  states ;  for  that  purpose  obstructing  the 
laws  for  naturalization  of  foreigners ;  refusing  to 
pass  others  to  encourage  their  migration  hither,  and 
aising  the  conditions  of  new  appropriations  of 
ands. 

He  has  obstructed  the  administration  of  justice, 
by  refusing  his  assent  to  laws  for  establishing  ju 
diciary  powers. 

He  has  made  judges  dependent  on  his  will  alone 


274  DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE. 

for  the  tenure  of  their  offices,  and  the  amount  and 
payment  of  their  salaries. 

He  has  erected  a  multitude  of  new  offices,  and 
sent  hither  swarms  of  officers,  to  harass  our  people 
and  eat  out  their  substance. 

He  has  kept  among  us,  in  times  of  peace,  stand* 
ing  armies,  without  the  consent  of  our  legislatures. 

He  has  affected  to  render  the  military  indepen 
dent  of,  and  superior  to,  the  civil  power. 

He  has  combined  with  others  to  subject  us  to  a 
jurisdiction  foreign  to  our  constitution,  and  unac 
knowledged  by  our  laws ;  giving  his  assent  to  their 
acts  of  pretended  legislation  : 

For  quartering  large  bodies  of  armed  troops 
among  us : 

For  protecting  them,  by  a  mock  trial,  from  pun 
ishment  for  any  murders  which  they  should  commit 
on  the  inhabitants  of  these  states  : 

For  cutting  off  our  .trade  with  all  parts  of  the 
world : 

For  imposing  taxes  on  us  without  our  consent : 

For  depriving  us  in  many  cases,  of  the  benefits 
of  trial  by  jury: 

For  transporting  us  beyond  seas  to  be  tried  for 
pretended  offences : 

For  abolishing  the  free  system  of  English  law? 
in  a  neighbouring  province,  establishing  therein 
an  arbitrary  government,  and  enlarging  its  boun 
daries,  so  as  to  render  it  at  once  an  example  and 


DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE.  275 

fit  instrument  for  introducing  the  same  absolute 
rule  into  these  colonies  : 

For  taking  away  our  charters,  abolishing  our 
most  valuable  laws,  and  altering,  fundamentally, 
the  forms  ot  our  governments  : 

For  suspending  our  own  legislatures,  and  declar 
ing  themselves  invested  with  power  to  legislate  for 
us  in  all  cases  whatsoever. 

He  has  abdicated  government  here,  by  declaring 
us  out  of  his  protection,  and  waging  war  against 
us. 

He  has  plundered  our  seas,  ravaged  our  coasts, 
Durnt  our  towns,  and  destroyed  the  lives  of  our 
people. 

He  is  at  this  time  transporting  large  armies  of 
foreign  mercenaries  to  complete  the  works  of  death, 
desolation,  and  tyranny,  already  begun  with  cir 
cumstances  of  cruelty  and  perfidy,  scarcely  paral 
leled  in  the  most  barbarous  ages,  and  totally  un 
worthy  the  head  of  a  civilized  nation. 

He  has  constrained  our  fellow-citizens,  taken 
captive  on  the  high  seas,  to  bear  arms  against  their 
country,  to  become  the  executioners  of  their  friends 
and  brethren,  or  to  fall  themselves  by  their  hands. 

He  has  excited  domestic  insurrections  amongst 
us,  and  has  endeavoured  to  bring  on  the  inhabitants 
of  our  frontiers  the  merciless  Indian  savages,  whose 
known  rule  of  warfare  is  an  undistinguished  de 
struction  of  all  ages,  sexes,  and  conditions. 


276  DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE. 

In  every  stage  of  these  oppressions  we  nave  pe 
titioned  for  redress  in  the  most  humble  terms:  our 
repeated  petitions  have  been  answered  only  by  re 
peated  injury.  A  prince,  whose  character  is  thus 
marked  by  every  act  which  may  define  a  tyrant,  is 
unfit  to  be  the  ruler  of  a  free  people. 

Nor  have  we  been  wanting  in  attentions  to  our 
British  brethren.  We  have  warned  them,  from 
time  to  time,  of  attempts  by  their  legislature  to  ex 
tend  an  unwarrantable  jurisdiction  over  us.  We 
have  reminded  them  of  the  circumstance  of  our 
emigration  and  settlement  here.  We  have  ap 
pealed  to  their  native  justice  and  magnanimity,  and 
we  have  conjured  them  by  the  ties  of  our  common 
kindred  to  disavow  these  usurpations,  which  would 
inevitably  interrupt  our  connexions  and  correspon 
dence.  They  too  have  been  deaf  to  the  voice  of 
justice  and  of  consanguinity.  We  must,  therefore, 
acquiesce  in  the  necessity  which  denounces  our 
separation,  and  hold  them,  as  we  hold  the  rest  of 
mankind — enemies  in  war,  in  peace  friends. 

We,  therefore,  the  representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  in  general  congress  assembled, 
appealing  to  the  Supreme  Judge  of  the  world,  for 
the  rectitude  of  our  intentions,  do,  in  the  name  and 
by  the  authority  of  the  good  people  of  these  colo 
nies,  solemnly  publish  and  declare,  that  these  united 
colonies  are,  and  of  right  ought  to  be,  free  and  in 
dependent  states  ;  that  they  are  absolved  from  all 


DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE. 


277 


allegiance  to  the  British  crown,  and  that  all  politi 
cal  connexion  between  them  and  the  state  of  Great 
Britain  is,  and  ought  to  be,  totally  dissolved  ;  and 
that,  as  free  and  independent  states,  they  have  full 
power  to  levy  war,  conclude  peace,  contract  alli 
ances,  establish  commerce,  and  to  do  all  other  acts 
and  things  which  independent  states  may  of  right 
do.  And  for  the  support  of  this  declaration,  with 
a  firm  reliance  on  the  protection  of  Divine  Provi 
dence,  we  mutually  pledge  to  each  other  our  lives, 
our  fortunes,  and  our  sacred  honour. 

JOHN  HANCOCK 


NEW   HAMPSHIRE. 

Josiah  Bartlett, 
William  Whipple, 
Matthew  Thornton. 

MASSACHUSETTS  BAY. 

Samuel  Adams, 
Jonu  Adams, 
Robert  Treat  Paine, 
Elbridge  Gerry. 

RHODE  ISLAND,  &C. 

Stephen  Hopkins, 
William  Ellerv. 


Oliver  Wolcott 

NEW  YORK. 

William  Floyd, 
Philip  Livingston, 
Francis  Lewis, 
Lewis  Morris. 

NEW  JERSEY. 

Richard  Stockton, 
John  Witherspoon, 
Francis  Hopkinson, 
John  Hart, 
Abraham  Clark. 


CONNECTICUT.  PENNSYLVANIA. 

Roger  Sherman,  Robert  Morris, 

Samuel  Huntington,        Benjamin  Rush, 
William  Williams,  Benjamin  Franklin, 

2  A 


278  DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE. 

John  Morton,  Thomas  Jefferson, 

George  Clymer,  Benjamin  Harrison, 

James  Smith,  Thomas  Nelson,  jr. 

George  Taylor,  Francis  Lightfoot  Lee 

James  Wilson,  Carter  Braxton. 
George  Ross.  NORTH  CAROLINA. 

DELAWARE.  William  Hooper, 

Caisar  Rodney,  Joseph  Hewes, 

George  Read,  John  Penn. 
Thomas  M'Kean.  SOUTH  CAROLINA. 

MARYLAND.  Edward  Rutledge, 

Samuel  Chase,  Thomas  Hey  ward,  jr. 

William  Paca,  Thomas  Lynch,  jr. 

Thomas  Stone,  Arthur  Middleton. 
C  Carroll,  of  Carrollton.  GEORGIA. 

VIRGINIA.  Button  Gwinnett, 

George  Wythe,  Lyman  Hall, 

Richard  Henry  Lee,  George  Walton. 


APPENDIX,  (B.; 


THE  following  is  extracted  from  a  letter  address- 
ed  by  the  late  Thomas  McKean  to  C.  A.  Rodney 

PHILADELPHIA,  Aug.  22d,  1813. 
On  Monday  the  1st  of  July,  1776,  the  question 
respecting  independence  was  taken  in  the  commit 
tee  of  the  whole,  when  the  State  of  Pennsylvania 
(represented  by  seven  gentlemen  then  present) 
voted  against  it :  Delaware  (having  then  only  two 
representatives  present)  was  divided :  all  the  other 
States  voted  in  favour  of  it.  Whereupon,  without 
delay,  I  sent  an  express  for  Caesar  Rodney,  Esq., 
the  remaining  member  for  Delaware,  whom  I  met 
at  the  State-house  door  as  the  members  were  as 
sembling.  After  a  friendly  salutation,  (without  a 
word  on  the  business,)  we  went  into  the  Hall  of 
Congress  together,  and  found  we  were  among  the 
latest.  Proceedings  immediately  commenced,  and 
after  a  few  minutes  the  great  question  was  put 
When  the  vote  for  Delaware  was  called,  your  uncle 
arose,  and  said :  "  As  I  believe  the  voice  of  my 
constituents  and  of  all  sensible  and  honest  men  is 
in  favour  of  independence,  and  my  own  judgment 
concurs  with  them,  I  vote  for  independence;"  or 

279 


280  THE    SIGNING    OF    THE 

in  other  words  to  the  same  effect.  The  State  of 
Pennsylvania  on  the  4th  of  July  voted  for  it.  Unani 
mity  in  the  thirteen  States,  an  all-important  point 
on  so  great  an  occasion,  was  thus  obtained ;  the 
dissension  of  a  single  §tate  might  have  produced 
very  dangerous  consequences. 

In  the  public  journal  of  Congress  for  1776,  vol. 
ii.,  it  would  appear  that  the  Declaration  of  Incle 
pendence  was  signed  on  the  4th  of  July  by  the 
members  whose  names  are  there  inserted ;  but  the 
fact  is  not  so :  for  no  person  signed  it  on  that  day, 
nor  for  many  days  after.  On  the  4th  of  July,  1776, 
the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  ordered  to  bt 
engrossed  on  parchment,  and  then  to  be  signed.  I 
was  not  in  Congress  after  the  4th,  for  some  months 
having  marched  with  my  regiment  of  associators 
of  this  city,  as  colonel,  to  support  General  Wash 
ington  until  a  flying  camp  of  ten  thousand  men  \vas 
completed.  When  the  associators  were  discharged, 
I  returned  to  Philadelphia,  took  my  seat  in  Con 
gress,  and  then  signed  the  Declaration  on  parch 
ment.  Two  days  after,  I  went  to  Newcastle,  and 
joined  the  Convention  for  forming  a  constitution 
for  the  future  government  of  the  State  of  Delaware, 
(having  been  elected  a  member  for  Newcastle 
county,)  which  I  wrote  in  a  tavern,  without  a  book 
or  any  assistance. 

You  may  rely  on  the  accuracy  of  the  foregoing 
relation.  It  is  full  time  to  print  and  publish  the 


DECLARATION    OF    INDEPENDENCE.       281 

secret  journal   of  Congress   during    the   Revolu 
tion. 

I  have  thus  answered  your  request,  and  trust  it 
may  reform  errors.  Accept,  dear  sir,  my  best 
wishes  for  your  happiness. 

THOMAS  McKEAN. 

Cxsar  Augustus  Rodney,  Esquire. 


2  A  2 


APPENDIX,  (C.) 


REMINISCENCES  OF  GEN.  WASHINGTON 

And  of  the  Congress,  which  sat  in  Philadelphia  while 
he  was  President 

AFTER  a  great  deal  of  talking  and  writing1,  and 
controversy,  about  the  permanent  seat  of  Congress 
under  the  present  Constitution,  it  was  determined 
thit  Philadelphia  should  be  honoured  with  its  pre 
sence  for  ten  years,  and  that  afterwards  its  perma 
nent  location  should  be  in  the  city  of  Washington, 
where  it  now  is.  In  the  mean  time,  the  federal 
city  was  in  progress,  and  the  legislature  of  Penn 
sylvania  voted  a  sum  of  money  to  build  a  house  foi 
the  president,  perhaps  with  some  hopes  that  this 
might  help  to  keep  the  seat  of  the  general  govern 
ment  in  the  capital — for  Philadelphia  was  then  con 
sidered  the  capital  of  the  State.  What  is  now 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania  was  the  structure 
used  for  this  purpose.  But  as  soon  as  Genera] 
Washington  saw  its  dimensions,  and  a  good  while 
before  it  was  finished,  he  let  it  be  known  that  he 
would  not  occupy  it — that  he  should  not  certainly 
go  to  the  expense  of  purchasing  furniture  for  such 
a  dwelling. 

282 


REMINISCENCES    OF    WASHINGTON.        283 

President  Washington,  therefore,  rented  a  house 
of  Mr.  Robert  Morris,  in  Market  street,  between 
Fifth  and  Sixth  street,  on  the  south  side,  and  fur 
nished  it  handsomely  but  not  gorgeously.  There 
he  lived  with  Mrs.  Washington  ;  Mr.  Lear  his  pri 
vate  secretary  and  his  wife,  and  Mrs.  Washington's 
grandson,  Custis,  making  a  part  of  the  family. 
Young  Custis  had  a  private  tutor  employed  by  the 
president,  who  was  engaged  to  attend  on  his  pupil 
one  hour  in  the  winter  mornings  before  breakfast; 
and  who  then  commonly  breakfasted  with  the  pre 
sident  and  his  family. 

The  company  usually  assembled  in  the  drawing- 
room,  about  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  before  dinner, 
and  the  president  spoke  to  every  guest  personally 
on  entering  the  room.  He  always  dressed  in  a 
suit  of  black,  his  hair  powdered,  and  tied  in  a  black 
bag  behind,  with  a  very  elegant  dress  sword,  which 
he  wore  with  inimitable  grace. 

Mrs.  Washington  often,  but  not  always,  dined 
with  the  company,  and  if,  as  was  occasionally  the 
case,  there  were  other  ladies  present,  they  sat  on 
each  side  of  her.  The  president  himself  sat  half 
way  from  the  head  to  the  foot  of  the  table,  and  on 
that  side  which  would  place  Mrs.  Washington, 
though  distant  from  him,  on  the  right  hand.  He 
atways,  unless  a  clergyman  was  present,  asked  a 
blessing  at  his  own  table,  in  a  standing  posture. 
If  a  clergyman  was  present,  he  was  requested  to 


284  REMINISENCES    OF 

ask  a  blessing  before,  and  return  thanks  after 
dinner. 

The  president,  it  is  believed,  generally  dined  on 
one  dish,  and  that  of  a  very  simple  kind.  If  offered 
something,  either  in  the  first  or  second  course, 
which  was  very  rich,  his  usual  reply  was,  "That 
s  too  good  for  me." 

Congress  Hall  was  the  building  now  occupied 
as  a  court-house,  at  the  corner  of  Chestnut  and 
Sixth  street.  Except  a  vestibule,  about  fifteen  feet 
wide  on  Chestnut  street,  the  whole  of  the  ground 
floor  of  this  building  was  formed  into  a  hall  or 
chamber  for  the  House  of  Representatives. 

There  was  no  door  opening  into  Sixth  street,  and 
the  speaker's  chair  with  two  desks,  the  one  on  the 
right  hand  of  the  speaker  for  the  clerk  of  the  House, 
and  the  one  on  the  left  for  the  chaplain,  were  placed 
directly  opposite  to  where  the  door  of  entrance  from 
Sixth  street  is  now  placed.  The  chamber  was 
warmed  by  large  open  stoves,  commonly  called 
Franklin  stoves,  two  adjoining  the  wall  on  Sixth 
street,  and  two  on  the  opposite  wall.  The  fuel 
used  was  always  of  the  best  hickory  wood.  The 
house  was  entered  by  one  door  in  Chestnut  street 
— at  the  other  end  of  the  chamber  there  was  a  door 
leading  into  the  State-house  yard. 

The  Senate  Chamber  was  directly  over  that  of  the 
House  of  Representatives :  all  stairways,  com 
mencing  in  the  vestibule  of  the  building,  led  to  the 


WASHINGTON.  285 

door  of  this  chamber,  which  was  but  little  more 
than  half  as  large  as  that  of  the  other  house — the 
part  (nearly  one-half)  towards  Chestnut  street, 
being  partitioned  off,  and  divided  into  committee- 
rooms,  for  the  use  of  the  members  of  both  Houses, 
and  one  room  for  their  clerks.  The  chair  of  the 
vice-president  was  located  on  the  south  side  of  the 
chamber,  near  the  wall,  and  midway  between  the 
eastern  and  western  sides.  The  arrangements 
were  the  same  as  in  the  other  chamber,  except  that 
there  were  but  two  tiers  of  seats,  both  without  ele 
vation,  and  in  place  of  four  stoves,  the  room  had 
but  two.  The  furniture,  indeed,  in  this  chamber, 
was,  in  general,  a  little  more  showy  than  in  the 
other;  but  its  great  ornament  consisted  in  the  full- 
length  portraits  of  the  King  and  Queen  of  France, 
Louis  XIV.  and  Marie  Antoinette,  under  whose 
reign  our  treaty  of  alliance  with  France,  during  our 
revolutionary  war,  was  formed. 

These  pictures  were  a  royal  present  made  to  the 
old  Congress,  and  were  of  the  most  splendid  kind. 
It  was  said  that  the  likenesses  of  the  king  and 
queen  were  remarkably  exact;  but  however  this 
might  be,  the  paintings,  as  to  the  design,  colouring, 
and  finishing,  were  the  most  perfect  that  had  evei 
been  seen  in  the  country — perhaps  than  any  thai 
have  since  been  seen,  with  the  exception  of  the 
crowning  of  Napoleon.  Both  the  king  and  the 
queen  appearing  in  their  robes,  or  state-dress,  and 


286  REMINISCENCES    OF     . 

nothing  could  exceed  the  exquisite  tints  and  finish 
of  the  drapery.  But  the  framing-  of  the  pictures 
was,  in  its  kind,  as  singularly  splendid  as  that 
which  it  enclosed.  The  frames  of  both,  which 
were  perhaps  a  foot  and  a  half  in  width,  were 
carved  in  a  masterly  manner,  exhibiting  the  arms 
of  France  and  other  signs  of  royalty,  and  covered 
with  a  thick  gilding,  that  had  much  the  appearance 
of  solid  gold.  The  pictures  hung  on  the  opposite 
wall  to  that  on  which  the  vice-president's  chair 
was  placed,  and  fronting  that  chair.  In  the  height 
of  the  French  revolution  there  was  some  talk  of 
removing  or  covering  these  pictures,  but  they  re 
mained  till  the  transfer  of  Congress  to  Washington, 
and  were  never  covered. 

It  was  in  the  Senate  Chamber,  and  in  the  pre 
sence  of  both  Houses  of  Congress,  that  Washington 
delivered  his  speeches — for  he  did  not  send  them 
by  his  secretary  in  the  form  of  a  message.  This 
was  a  practice  introduced  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  and 
has  been  continued  ever  since.  But  Washington 
made  his  communication  at  every  opening  of  Con 
gress  in  person.  When  informed  that  the  houses 
were  in  session  and  ready  to  receive  his  communi 
cations,  he  replied  to  the  committee  that  waited  on 
him,  that  he  would  meet  Congress  the  next  day  at 
twelve  o'clock. 

WThen  he  came  into  the  Senate  Chamber,  the 
members  all  rose,  and,  bowing  to  them  gracefully 


WASHINGTON'.  287 

he  took  his  seat,  and  at  the  same  timo  the  mem 
bers  resumed  theirs.  lie  commonly  sat  about 
three  or  tour  minutes,  during  which  time  he  took  Ins 
spectacles  from  the  side-pocket  of  his  co.it,  and  his 
speech  from  another  pocket,  and  placed  both  on  his 
knee,  casting  his  eyes  over  tjie  audience.  He  then 
put  on  his  spectacles,  took  his  speech  in  his  left 
hand,  rose,  and  immediately  began  to  read,  the 
members  remaining  seated.  He  read  his  speech 
audibly,  distinctly,  and -without  hesitation;  he 
was  not  what  could  be  called  an  accomplished 
reader.  He  occasionally,  in  an  interesting  part  of 
his  speech,  enforced  what  he  said  by  a  motion 
with  his  right  hand — the  gesture  was  not  violent, 
or  even  what  is  calb  d  bold  ;  but  it  indicati  d  earm  st- 
ness^  and  was  gracefully  made.  \\h<  n  he  had 
finished  his  speech,  he  bowed  to  Congress,  and 
the  members  rose  while  he  retired. 


APPENDIX,  (D.) 


THOSE  who  were  person-ally  familiar  with  these 
facts  assure  us,  that  not  only  the  children,  hut  the 
whole  population  were  interested  in  his  going  out, 
and  in  his  coming1  in.  Shop-keepers  left  their 
counters,  and  mechanics  their  tools,  and  came  where 
they  might  see  him  -as  lie  passed.  And  this  was 
done,  not  with  the  rush  and  confusion  common  on 
like  occasions,  hut  it  was  altogether  an  expression 
of  spontaneous  respect  and  profound  regard,  and 
the  word  was  passed  indicating  his  approach. 


288 


THE    END. 


*  I  I 


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